A Fortunate Accident
by cherryredxx
Summary: This is the story of what happens when men don't listen to their wives.
1. Sunday Tea

"Ginny, can you please explain to me _why_ you insist that we spend time with these people?" Harry asked as they dressed in their bedroom. He was bitter to be spending, yet another, Sunday afternoon in the company of the Malfoys. No matter how much times have changed, and no matter how much the Wizarding World had supposedly changed over the last twenty years, nothing on God's green Earth could make Harry Potter befriend Draco Malfoy.

He watched as his wife cast a quick glamor charm to hide a developing wrinkle and pin her fiery red hair into an elegant French twist. One thing that had always amazed him was that, though she was by no means old, her hair color had never faded or faltered in the nearly thirty years that he had known her. In his opinion, she was as beautiful as the day that they had met.

Ginny rolled her eyes, tired of having this ridiculous conversation over and over again. She stood up from her seat at the vanity table and walked over to her husband, looping her arms around his neck. "Darling, just because you still don't like Draco, that does not mean that I am not allowed to be friends with Astoria," she explained condescendingly. "Honestly, Harry, she's a lovely woman, and Albus has become quite good friends with Scorpius over the last two years."

"But why do I have to go, Gin?" he whined.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Harry James Potter," she scolded, "you have paraded me around Ministry balls, press conferences, and so many other monotonous affairs that bore me nearly to tears, and I have been your dutiful, loving wife. If you can't get over the fact that you and Draco are not friends so that I can spend an afternoon having tea with Astoria, then I swear to Merlin that I will make the rest of your life miserable." She gave him a plastic smile. "Understand, darling?"

Understanding quite fully the concept of quitting while one was ahead, Harry nodded, defeated. For the eighth Sunday in a row, Harry decided to willingly comply with his wife's request for tea at Malfoy Manor.

* * *

"Draco, dear, please have the elves prepare the tea service in the garden, would you?" Astoria called politely.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Are the Potters coming _again_?" he asked.

Astoria smiled brightly, her chestnut brown hair waving in the light breeze as she sauntered over toward her husband. "Darling, you know how much I enjoy spending time with Mrs. Potter. Can you just be a dear and join us?" She fluttered her eyelashes, hoping that her husband would give in.

"Why is it that we host for these people?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest like a small child.

She smiled at him adoringly. "You act as though they are strangers. Why, you've known Harry and Ginevra for even longer than I!"

"That's my point. I've known them for almost thirty years, and I've never liked them." He threw his hands up in defeat, knowing full well that his argument was pointless. Whether he liked it or not, tea with the Potters was inevitable. "Why do you call her that, anyway?"

Astoria blanched. "Call who, what?"

"_Ginevra_," he spat, almost as if the word was poison on his tongue. "Merlin, woman, she has been Ginny all her life, and no one else ever calls her that."

She continued to smile adoringly at her husband, who returned the expression with a bitter scowl. She approached him, straightening his tie and taking in his appearance. "Darling, please go and put on something a bit less formal, would you? You know the Potters do not like to dress quite so nicely for tea."

He eyed his wife's slim-fitting black cocktail dress and raised an accusatory eyebrow.

Whatever she meant to say was cut off by the ringing of the doorbell. "Oh, dear, I suppose your current attire will just have to do!" she exclaimed, smoothing down his suit and her own dress and hair. "I do believe it is quite improper to be late when we are the ones hosting!"

* * *

The four adults gathered around a small, elegant table in the middle of the garden. The sun was shaded by a white-laced umbrella, and the smell of the orchids blooming made the atmosphere quite pleasant. Four house elves bustled around, serving tea and scones to the hosts and the guests.

Astoria and Ginny sat across from one another, their husbands sitting at their sides, each looking miserably bored. Neither woman seemed to notice as they tattered on about all sorts of things that neither man cared much about. They talked about gardening, baking, their children, child bearing, how much they adored the prospect of grandchildren, and other womanly sorts of interests.

"So, Ginevra," Astoria said, sipping her tea, "have you heard from Lily at all?"

Ginny nodded, a rather proud smile adorning her freckled face. "Yes, she sent me a letter the very first day!" she replied. "She's been sorted into Gryffindor with her brothers, and she is so excited. I'll tell you, she's so much like I was when I was a girl. I was so jealous when Ron went off to Hogwarts and I had to wait another year."

"I was the same way, darling, with Daphne being two years older," Astoria said. "Well, good, I am glad that she is enjoying school."

The redheaded witch nodded in agreement. "Have you heard from Scorpius at all yet?" Ginny asked, looking more toward Draco in an attempt to persuade him to join into the conversation.

Draco, who was absent-mindedly tapping his fingers on the table, looked oblivious.

Astoria cleared her throat, gaining her husband's full attention almost immediately. "Draco, darling, how about you show Harry that new Muggle thing your company has just begun investing in." She looked sweetly at the dark-haired wizard. "Harry, they have found a Wizarding adaptation to Muggle cellular phones! They work around magic and it will be so much simpler to communicate! It is quite thrilling, is it not?"

Harry blinked, shaken out of his daze when Astoria said his name. "Oh, that's interesting," he said, clearly demonstrating that he felt the exact opposite way. When Ginny kicked him in the shin, he winced and straightened up. "I mean, that sounds great! If Mal - er - Draco wants to show me, I'd be glad to, er, see it." He rubbed his shin, glaring at his wife out of the corner of his eye.

"Lovely," Draco said dryly. He stood without another word and led the other man into their home.

When the two men were clearly out of earshot, the expressions on the faces of both women dropped. They simultaneously rolled their eyes, sipped their tea, and then took a bite of their scones. Each nibbled their pastries while shaking their heads irritably at the childish nature of their husbands.

Ginny was the first to break the silence. "You know, I just don't understand what Harry's problem is," she said, exasperated. "I mean, I go to so many Ministry events and I am always being paraded around and getting attention from the Daily Prophet for being married to the great Harry Potter, but he can't act civil through one afternoon a week here! Is it so much to ask?"

Astoria shook her head. "No, darling, and my husband is the same way! I have to sit through boring press conferences when his company begins investing in something or other, and I get dragged around the world doing this and that, but he simply refuses to sit down for tea once a week, free of argument!"

"And it isn't you, I want you to know that," Ginny added. "Harry apparently has yet to grow up and get over the fact that he and Draco were rivals at Hogwarts."

The younger witch nodded in agreement. "Exactly, Ginevra. Draco has never said an unkind word toward you." She looked thoughtful for a moment. "Although, I am quite certain if he did, he realizes that I would not take too kindly to it."

Ginny smiled at her friend. She put her head in her hands. "And now this evening he is dragging me to the annual Halloween Ball at the Ministry. I can't stand those bloody formal affairs!"

"I wish my husband would take me to one of those! Instead, this evening, we are meant to go to see the Falmouth Falcons play because he bought the team. Heaven knows how much I hate that dreadful sport!"

"Goodness knows how much I love Quidditch!"

The two women sighed dramatically and sat in silence for several minutes. As time passed, and they each began to think, twin thoughts entered their minds. It was dreadfully insane, and each knew deep down that no good would possibly come from it, but their rational minds were pushed aside in favor of a temporary solution.

It became apparent in those few minutes that the two women spent entirely too much time around each other. They each looked up, locking eyes, each woman sporting her own devilish glint.

Ginny smirked a smirk that would rival Draco's classic. "Do you have any in your lab?" she asked, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"I believe I do," Astoria said. "I think we have got quite enough to last through the week."

The redheaded witch glanced around, ensuring that neither of their husbands had returned. She said, "Let's go now. Before the men come back."

Astoria grabbed Ginny's hand, and they walked briskly toward the manor.

There were so many twists and turns as they ran through the long corridors that Ginny would have sworn that they were going in circles had it not been for the changes in Portraits and decor. Finally, after what seemed like forever, she was pulled into a room that had a very strong resemblance to a Potions laboratory. She watched as her friend rummaged through cabinets, searching for what they needed.

After only a few moments, Astoria grabbed what she had been searching for, holding it up as though it were buried treasure, and walked toward Ginny. She had a wicked grin on her face and a glimmer in her eye to match. At that moment, for the first time in their friendship, she looked very Slytherin.

"There is plenty here for us," Astoria informed Ginny. "I think this will work."

Ginny nodded in agreement. "For one week, yeah?" she asked.

Astoria nodded.

Ginny smirked. "Cheers."


	2. Different Strokes, Different Folks

The Polyjuice Potion slid down her throat, sending a sensation of burning all the way down her esophagus. Never before had she tasted that dreadful concoction, but now that the plan was in motion, she knew she would need to continue with it twice a day for a week in order to remain in disguise. Perhaps by the fourteenth dose she might get used to it, but she seriously doubted it.

As soon as Harry left the manor alongside Astoria, disguised as Ginny, she began to see several small glitches in their clever idea that perhaps they had not considered in the heat of the moment. The two women were so irritated, frustrated, with their husbands' lack of caring that they overlooked some possible situations. Several of these _minor_ setbacks were drawn to her attention relatively quickly, and Ginny found herself in a bit over her head.

Ginny followed her 'husband' inside their large estate. She glanced around in silent awe of their home. From the elegant tapestries to the beautiful hardwood floors, everything was gorgeous and spotless. She wondered briefly how Astoria would react to living in their less than immaculate home, but she dismissed it as soon after. _Problem one_, she thought, biting her lip as she glanced around at the massive manor. _I have no idea where the hell I'm going._ She hurried to match the pace of Draco's footsteps, ensuring that she did not get left behind, only to be greeted by a raised eyebrow and a questioning look.

"Where are you going?" Draco asked her, stopping to look at his 'wife.'

"Oh!" Ginny said, trying to keep her Astoria-esque composure. "Well, I was, uh, going to take a shower! You know, I always need to look my best!" Her voice was, perhaps, slightly peppier and more nervous than she meant it to be, but she was relieved that he didn't seem to find her to be acting all that peculiar.

Rather, he tilted his head and lifted an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Why don't I join you, then?" he asked seductively.

This was, of course, something else that the two women had not had a chance to work out. _Problem two. I cannot sleep with my best friend's husband no matter what, nor can we bathe together._ Ginny smiled at Draco. "Well, dear, I am not feeling very well. Womanly troubles, you see, so I think maybe I should go at it alone."

Now he looked at her skeptically. "It's not your time of the month yet. You're not due for another two weeks."

_Are husbands supposed to notice that?_ She took a second to consider whether or not Harry ever noticed such things. "Well, not that kind of womanly trouble. No, I feel... bloated?"

He blinked a few times. Ginny felt like he was seeing through her already. He knew. She hadn't even been Astoria for an entire hour, and he already bloody knew.

"Are you still mad at me, Stor?" he asked, stepping closer to Ginny. "Because, Harry Potter is a tosser, and I am never going to enjoy when he and his wife come here. I just don't enjoy it." His voice was a bit harsh and he sounded rather irritable.

She frowned. "Harry is not a tosser!" she exclaimed, perhaps a bit more forcefully than appropriate. "I mean, he's a nice man. And Ginny is such a lovely woman." She paused, not able to resist her next thoughts as she remembered something that her friend had said to her earlier at tea. "You don't have a problem with her, do you?"

"Ginny?" he asked, quirking his eyebrow. "Since when do you call her that?"

_Damn._ "Since today. I think she prefers it, don't you?"

He threw up his hands in disgust. "I said that to you, not three hours ago!" He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Merlin, woman, are you incapable of considering anything unless you come up with it? But, no, I don't really have an issue with Ginny. She's really been quite nice to Scorpius. I think he fancies her a bit, actually."

She smiled despite herself. "Well, good," she said. "But, really, I need to go take my shower so that we can go watch the Harpies kill the Falcons." She mentally smacked herself when she realized what she had just said. Quickly, she added, "It's Ginny's former team, after all."

Draco rolled his eyes. "You cannot sit with the owner of a team and root for the opponent. Do you know how terrible that would look?"

Ginny smirked and lifted an eyebrow. "Want to bet?"

She sauntered away, certain that what she had just said was certainly ivery/i out of character, but she found that she didn't care. Simply the look on his face made it all worth it.

* * *

Astoria latched onto Harry as they Apparated to kitchen of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. She winced slightly at the state of it. There were a few plates in the sink waiting to be washed, the trash bin was beginning to overflow, and the day's Daily Prophet was spread atop the kitchen table. It was, of course, not in her nature to clean a thing - House Elves were at her beck and call twenty-four hours a day, and had been for the last fifteen years - but she decided that she may have to do some tidying up for the sake of appearances.

Before a single word was spoken, she walked to the sink and began to wash dishes with her wand. _I am sure Ginevra has mentioned cleaning before. I am quite sure. _Her face sported a bit of a disgusted look as she performed the demeaning task.

Harry stared at her for a moment. "Gin, I said I would do those earlier," he said.

She turned and smiled. "Oh! Well, that is lovely, then. I suppose it must have simply slipped my mind!"

"Well, alright," he said, stepping forward and taking over her place at the sink. "Go on, then. Get out of here. You need to start getting ready for the ball tonight, remember?"

Her eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. "Of course, dear," she said, a bit more excitedly than she had intended. _Think Ginevra,_ she reminded herself. "So, you will clean up the kitchen, then?"

He nodded, responding wordlessly, from his place at the sink, and she ran excitedly up the stairs in search of a bedroom. She came across several. The first one was exceptionally pink with a poster of Oliver Wood on the wall above the bed. She assumed it belonged to Lily, but she paused for a moment at the sight of the handsome former Quidditch player. She did always find the man attractive. Shaking herself from her thoughts, she continued down the hallway. The next room she stumbled across definitely belonged to a boy, as did the following. She noted, however, that the entire family seemed to be absolutely in love with Quidditch. She wondered why Ginny was so eager to go see a match. Surely they must go to loads of them.

Finally, she reached a large bedroom. She let out a small breath of relief when she saw how much cleaner it was. Ginny had told her before they left that her gown for the ball was black and strapless, and Astoria sighted it as soon as she opened up the door to the closet. It was a lovely, chiffon gown that reached the floor and had a thin, diamond belt across the middle. She smiled, satisfied that Ginny's dress was acceptable by her standards, and went to take a shower.

* * *

By some miracle, Ginny managed to find Astoria and Draco's bedchambers and the adjoining bathroom. She looked at her reflection in the floor-length mirror as she undressed for her shower. Her intention was not to look critically at her best friend's body, but she was completely baffled that it was not her normal face that she was looking back at her through the mirror. _At least Astoria is pretty._

She turned on the tap, allowing the steam from the scalding hot bath to fill the room. Nothing was better than a long, luxurious shower, and she planned to enjoy every second of it fully. For once, she would be able to use all of the wonderful-smelling bath amenities that Astoria always recommended, but Ginny could never afford. Now was her chance. For the next seven days, she had every intention of living like royalty.

The water pressure was wonderful, and Ginny inadvertently let out a soft moan at the feeling of the water running over her body. Her eyes were closed as she lathered her friend's skinny, petite body with the chamomile and vanilla-scented soap. It made her feel dirty to be touching Astoria in her private places, but she got over it quickly, knowing she would only have a week to use the most satiny-feeling loofah that quite possibly ever existed.

A soft, cool breeze shook her from her happy place. She opened her eyes. Then they grew even wider when she realized what interrupted the shower of her dreams.

_When did Draco get all of that?_

The blond man stood before her, naked, and a look of horror washed over her face as she turned away from him to face the shower head. The whole situation worsened quickly. Before she knew it, Draco was standing behind her, running her dream-loofah all along her backside and down to her bum. She was glad that her face was turned in the opposite direction so that he couldn't see by her expression how terrified she was by the whole experience.

He did, however, notice that he body had become rigid. "What's wrong?" he asked, his voice husky and low as he whispered in her ear.

"I thought I said I wanted to shower alone," she said, trying with everything she had to keep her voice level.

"I know," he said, kissing her lightly on the shoulder. "But after you sauntered off like that, I couldn't resist."

_Why couldn't he just be ugly?_ she cried to herself, screwing her eyes shut in case she accidently caught a glimpse of more than she needed to see of Draco. She allowed herself to relax as much as possible so that the shower could just be over. _Thank Merlin he isn't trying to shag me._

The rest of her once-glorious shower experience from the Gods could have been much worse, she decided. He kissed her on her back and shoulders, washed her hair, and helped her to wash, but he didn't try to touch her in any inappropriate way. She wished that Harry would touch her like that, but she had to remember that she had just showered with her best friend's husband to shake everything away. iI sure wish I hadn't enjoyed that./i

After today, she decided that she would be getting up at the crack of dawn to bathe, hoping that he would not yet be awake to join her and unaware of whether or not this was of the norm.

* * *

It was strange to look in the mirror and see something so unfamiliar. Sure, she and Ginny had been friends for a few years and she knew what the woman looked like, but she certainly had never examined her so closely. A giggle escaped her lips and she decided that she would take advantage of such a rare opportunity.

She ran toward the mirror, placing her face only centimeters from the reflective glass. She began with her eyebrows, wiggling them up and down, and at once she noticed a wrinkle. Grabbing Ginnys's wand, she cast a glamor to hide it. She practiced raising a single eyebrow. This was a gesture she had often seen on her good friend's face, and she thought it warranted practicing. She raised one eyebrow and then the other, and then both together. Astoria was slightly jealous. She couldn't raise a single eyebrow. While she was Ginny, she was determined to perform this action as often as possible.

Next, she examined the lips, practicing several gestures that she had, once again, noticed on Ginny. She smiled brightly, happy that her friend had such perfect teeth, then creased her forehead into a deep frown. Then, she put on the sweet little half-smile that she always thought was flattering on Ginny, then she pursed and puckered.

Having entirely too much fun, she failed to notice when Harry walked in behind her. He raised an eyebrow at her. "What the hell are you doing, Gin?" he asked.

Noticing his reflection, she let out a noise that was a hybrid of a gasp and a squeal. She clutched her bath towel to her chest as she turned on him. Excited that she had already come across her first chance, she quirked a single eyebrow. _Well, perhaps it is not entirely appropriate just now._ "Why, you gave me such a fright just then!" she said. "I was just, well, searching for wrinkles and I just did not see you!"

"Obviously," he said, chuckling. He kissed her soundly on the lips. "I think I'll take a shower now that you're through. Be ready in an hour and a half, yeah?"

"Certainly," she said with a smile. She was thankful that, for the next week, at least, she would not have to live with a man who looked at her with such predation. Harry was, truly, a gentleman.

_I hope do Ginevra knows how differently these two men act._


	3. For Love & Quidditch

The Ministry ballroom was decorated completely in black and white, from the streamers to to tablecloths to the other guests' attire, and the entire place glittered as if it were covered with a light dusting of snow. It was classy and subtle, but absolutely stunning. Small tables with hors d'oeuvres were set around the perimeter, as well as a small refreshment table. In the center of the room, there was a large space for dancing, where several couples were already partaking.

Astoria's hand sat in the crook of Harry's elbow as they wandered through the crowd, her chiffon gown flowing gracefully behind her in a small train. She smiled politely at all of the people she was supposed to know but didn't, and she tried to keep herself calm at all of the looks she was getting. Somehow, everywhere she went, she could feel eyes on her. Lots of eyes.

"Why are the other guests staring at me?" she whispered to Harry.

He snickered. "Well, Gin, you do stand out," he replied.

"I do?" she asked, her eyes widening. "Why?"

Harry stopped and turned to her. He reached up and touched a loose tendril of her red locks and smiled. "Your hair, darling. Everything in the room is black and white, except your hair." He kissed her cheek reassuringly. "I thought you'd be used to that by now, but don't worry. You look beautiful."

She smiled inwardly, flushing a rather attractive shade of pink at the compliment. Harry had managed to demonstrate yet again that he was nothing like her husband. Draco would compliment her, certainly, but never in a way that was as plain or without indirectly - yet intentionally - gloating his own ego. She found that she quite liked the way Harry spoke to her and almost felt sorry that Ginny would have to spend the week enduring her ego-stroking husband when she was not used to his very dry, sarcastic sense of humor.

It wasn't until temporary husband had lead her to a redheaded gentleman in stunning dress robes that Astoria became nervous. Though the man's hair was more of an orange shade, rather than the fiery red of Ginny's, it was obvious that this man was a Weasley. He was not old enough to be her father, as he looked to be in his early forties, so she was at least able to conclude that he was one of Ginny's brothers. Still, she worried her bottom lip between her teeth, hoping that he wouldn't be able to tell that she was actually a Ginny-imposter.

"Gin," the man said, kissing her affectionately on the cheek. "You look beautiful, sis."

She smiled graciously. "You look rather dashing yourself," she said. "Are you here alone?"

"I'm here with Da," he told her, smiling. "Mum didn't fancy coming here tonight; she and Angelina are back at the Burrow. I suppose that makes me his date, doesn't it?"

Astoria chuckled. "Yes, I suppose it does."

"Hey, Gin," the brother said after a few moments of silence. "Before I forget, Mum wanted me to invite you and Harry over tomorrow evening. Charlie's going to be home for the night - he's got a bit of news, she said - and so she wants everyone to come over for dinner."

"Oh, how delightful!" she said. "What time are we expected?"

"Around five, like always. See you then."

"Bye George," Harry chimed in. After they had walked a good distance away, he whispered, "What's going on with you, Gin?"

She paused, lifting an eyebrow. "What do you mean, dear?"

He rolled his eyes. "I mean, why are you being so damn _proper_? You just told your brother that he looks _dashing_."

Astoria was taken aback. "Well, he does," she defended.

"That was _George_, for goodness sake! Your favorite brother, one of your closest friends, and you didn't even hug him!" He pressed his fingers into his eyes. "Ginny, if you're acting like your friend Astoria to prove a point, please stop. It isn't funny."

She gasped. "I am not trying to prove a thing." For some reason, she actually felt the barest twinge of happiness that that Harry noticed her enough to be able to recognize her personality under normal circumstances. "I just thought that since we were in such a formal setting that I should act like a lady."

Harry snorted. "Ginny, when have you ever been a lady? When you snuck George's Puking Pastilles onto the dessert table last year? Or when you put that potion in the punch bowl to make everyone who drank it have Weasley-red hair the year before that?" He smiled at her warmly, shaking his head. "You are amazing, though. Thank you."

_What just happened here?_ "What for?" she asked.

"For behaving, like I asked." He kissed her soundly on the lips. "I love you, Gin."

Astoria blinked, and kissed him back. When she pulled away, she was surprised at the words that escaped her lips. "I love you, too, Harry."

* * *

Her nose was tilted toward the air, and a smug look was in place on her aristocratic face. She attempted to raise a single eyebrow, but found that her new face was inadequately equipped. Her arms were crossed over her chest as she glared intently at Draco. "No. Absolutely not," she said.

"Seriously?" he asked, a scowl in place. "You're really going to do this?"

"Yes," she said, her voice clearly suggesting that there would be no discussion on the matter. "Get over it."

"You've got to be joking."

"Does it appear that way?"

"Astoria!"

"Draco!"

"You can't."

"Really?"

He narrowed his eyes. "You hate Quidditch and your sitting in the Falcon's box! Why can't you take off that ridiculous shirt and just be bloody well supportive for once?"

She glanced down at what she was wearing. Technically, it was a shirt that George had gotten during her final season playing for the Harpies, but she had felt it would have been both tasteless and tacky to have worn it before. Rather, until now, she had kept it as a memento of her short, yet fulfilling, Quidditch career. "Ginny leant it to me," she said, not _exactly_ lying. "If you feel that I must attend one of these dreadful matches, at least allow me to choose the team I prefer." _I think that's the most Astoria-like thing I've said all damn day._

He rolled his eyes. "You're acting like a child."

"I happen to think Ginny is quite beautiful, and if I want to wear a shirt with a large picture of her face, then I certainly will do so!"

"If Ginny had played for the Falcons, I'd be all for a shirt with her giant head on it!" he said, almost shouting. "Goodness, woman, you're driving me 'round the twist!"

Ginny turned her head and snorted. "Short trip," she whispered under her breath.

His eyes were narrowed. "I heard that," he hissed.

She stood up, approaching him with a smile. She was quite glad that they were alone in the owner's box because then she wouldn't really have to hold her tongue. "Draco Malfoy, you had better start being nice to me," she announced, standing proudly before him. "I am your wife, and dammit, I demand some respect! I am not an arm ornament, and I have a mind of my own. I do not need _you_ to tell me what to do, when I am clearly capable of deciding such things for myself." She raised her chin, not sure of what to expect next.

He stood up beside her, glaring fiercely into her eyes. It was the most angry that she remembered seeing him. "You spend too much time with Weasley," he said.

"Ginny is a Potter, actually," she spat.

A lazy, dangerous smirk crossed his lips. "She's rubbed off on you."

"So? She's a lovely woman."

"But you've never stood up for yourself like that before. I've never heard you talk like that at all."

"Well, I'm tired of doing whatever you say without question!"

"And I was tired of having a wife that complies with _everything!_"

"And I'm tired -" she stopped, narrowing her eyes when she realized what he had just said. "What did you just say?"

He smiled, touching her cheek gently with the back of his hand. "I said, I want you to defend yourself, Astoria. I like that."

Ginny couldn't help but smile at Draco in return. Without saying another word, only looking into his eyes, longingly, for a moment, she pounced on him. Her lips crashed into his so hard that he barely had time to react before they both fell to the ground in a heaping pile of arms and legs, trying desperately not to allow herself to feel guilty for snogging her best friend's husband senseless as the Harpies beat the Falcons by a whopping 360 to 30.

Needless to say, not much attention was paid toward the Quidditch game after all.


	4. Families

Harry left for work at nine o'clock the following morning, but before he left, he made a tray of food for his wife. When she woke up an hour later, she found a plate filled with bacon, eggs over easy, toast, and orange juice. It was being kept with a warming charm, but it looked as though it had been made only moments ago. Beside it, there was a single red rose and a small piece of scrap parchment in which he scribbled a note for her.

_Gin –_

_Don't forget that we're going to the Burrow today. I'll be home by four, I promise._

_Love you._

She smiled as she read. But then a thought occurred to her that hadn't the night before when she accepted the invitation. In only a few hours, she would be sitting down at a table full of Ginny's brothers, their wives, their children, and her parents, but she did not know anybody's names, or professions, or personalities, or… anything. Surely they would notice that something about her was off. They would have to. They would be stupid not to.

After almost inhaling her breakfast in her panicked state, Astoria showered and dressed as quickly as she could. She had completely forgotten to take her Polyjuice, but remembered it as soon as she looked in the mirror and saw herself looking back at her. Never did she think her own reflection would actually surprise her in such a way. Then, she rummaged through Ginny's closets, searching for _something_ that would help her to at least know their names. She found a little bit of relief in knowing that most of the children would be away at Hogwarts with her son.

She was almost ready to give up and face the music – confess to Harry later that she was not _technically _his wife – when a large box came crashing down, almost landing directly on her head. It was a round box with a blue lid, and it was rather dusty, which meant it had probably been up there for quite some time.

She carried it to the bed. Opening the lid, she realized that the Gods had sent her exactly what she was looking for. Inside the box, there were pictures – hundreds of them – of Ginny and her family, and each one had something written on the back in Ginny's untidy script. It took her quite some time, but she was pretty sure she was able to sort out the names and spouses of all six other Weasley children. Deciding that there was no possible way for her to commit all of their names to memory in the next hour - before Harry returned home - she decided she would have to cheat. On a spare piece of parchment, she scribbled names and physical descriptions. _This will just have to do._

* * *

When Ginny woke up the next morning, the space on the bed beside her was empty. She felt badly that he wasn't there, and guilty that she wished that he was. A twinge of happiness seeped through, though, when she noticed a neatly folded piece of parchment sitting on his pillow. This pleasant emotion was dissipated almost immediately when she read the contents of the note. Now, she knew she was in trouble.

_Astoria,_

_Good morning, love. I'm sorry that I left, but I didn't want to wake you. Unfortunately, I got called away to the office for the day, which means that you'll have to have to entertain my parents this afternoon for tea alone. I hope you didn't forget that they were coming. The House Elves will be there to help you, though, so don't be nervous. I know you don't get along well with Father, but I spoke to him this morning. He promises to behave._

_Also, I am afraid I have a bit of bad news. Scorpius was at Quidditch trials and he got hit by a bludger. His wrist was broken very badly, and due to the nature and location of the injury, Madame Pomfrey suggested that he should come home for a few days and allow it to heal a bit more naturally. Apparently, when she went to mend the bones, she discovered that all eight of the wrist bones were either fractured or bruised. It was a relatively serious injury, but he will heal. She said that, because it is his left hand, he needs to not be tempted to use it in class. I'll pick him up from King's Cross, and he'll Floo home from my office._

_I hope you have a nice day._

_Draco._

Ginny was in a state of panic. Not only was she going to have someone else to take care of, but she was also going to be left in the lion's den alone. At least she didn't have to pretend to like Lucius, but she also did not know how Astoria behaved in the company of Draco's parents. Astoria had never mentioned to her anything about her in-laws, or her relationship with them. She would just have to go with it and hope for the best.

The first thing she needed to do was call on the House Elves and make sure everything was set up properly for tea. "Mickey!" She called out for the only elf she could recall Astoria addressing by name during their weekly teas. "Mickey, I need you. Please come here!"

After quite some time, a tiny pop was heard and Mickey appeared. "Missus, Mickey only answers to Mistress and Master Malfoy, and Young Master Scorpius. Mickey does not answer to guests," he stated. "Mickey is sorry."

Ginny put her hands on her hips. "I am Astoria Malfoy!" she said, attempting to maintain her false demeanor. "Now, Mickey, I need you to set up for afternoon tea in the garden."

"Mickey is already doing this, Missus. Master Draco already instructed Mickey."

"What time will it be ready?" she asked, eyeing the clock and noticing that it was almost ten. "Do you know what time Narcissa and Lucius will be here?"

"Master Draco says midday, Missus. Now, Mickey must go!" The House Elf popped away before Ginny could even say another word.

Ginny never knew a great deal about House Elves, other than the fact that they were servants to a particular family, but she had no idea that they would have some type of intuition that would allow them to see through a Polyjuiced disguise. All she could do now was hope and pray that she would not need to ask for anything in the presence of her current in-laws.

* * *

Before marrying into the Malfoy family, Astoria was used to being comfortably well off, but no necessarily rich. She assumed that most Pure-blooded families were used to much of the same. When she visited the Burrow with Harry that afternoon, she realized that this theory of wealth among Purebloods was not quite as accurate at she had suspected. The Burrow was homely, to say the least. It was a small, shack-like abode, situated in the center of a large space of vacant land, and Astoria was rather thankful that she would be able to walk a short distance before anyone would see her. She had time to neutralize her facial expression and allow herself to not be given away immediately.

Astoria rested her hand in the crook of Harry's elbow as they walked toward the house. Neither of them spoke, but she took a few glances at Harry on the way there. It was obvious that this place was a second home to him. She decided that perhaps there was some sort of appeal to this place that one could only understand through experience. She hoped she would understand. Not even the Manor, the place she'd called home for fifteen years, made her feel quite as comfortable as this pathetic excuse for a house made Harry feel.

They walked a great distance from the Apparation point before they finally reached the house. Two teenagers were sitting on a porch swing, kissing. Harry had a huge smile on his face when he saw them. Clearing his throat loudly, he said, "Teddy Lupin! Victoire, does your father know where you are?"

The two teenagers shot up, straightening their backs and separating themselves from each other immediately. The young girl, presumably Victoire, spoke first. "Uncle Harry, I didn't see you there!" she said excitedly. She stood and brought Harry in for a warm hug, following suit with Astoria. "I'm so happy to see you!"

Harry raised an appraising eyebrow, noting that his wife had not even acknowledged the young girl. "Ginny, aren't you happy to see your niece? We haven't seen her in ages!"

"Oh, of course I am happy to see little Victoire!" she said with excessive brightness. She raised her arm over her head, allowing her slip of cheat sheet parchment to slide down her sleeve just enough. "Victoire, eldest daughter of Bill, who is my eldest brother, I am just so pleased to see you!" Astoria pulled her niece into another tight embrace.

"Well, hello, Aunt Ginny," the younger girl said, coughing. "I'm happy to see you, too."

Once Harry was able to pry her away, the couple walked inside the Burrow. For Astoria, walking into the house was an experience all on its own. Everything about the house was an attack to the senses - from the smell of bread baking in the oven, to the sounds of the happy chatter resonating from the occupants, to the sight of conservatively decorated interior. Something about the place, as a whole, made her feel happy. It wasn't the extravagant decor that she was used to, nor was it even immaculately clean, but she felt like she was home, even if she wasn't. Despite the reservations she had prior to entering the house, she couldn't help but smile.

"Oh, Ginny, dear!" she heard a woman calling. The woman kissed her on the cheek several times. "Oh, how I've missed you." She, then, engulfed Astoria into an almost-suffocating embrace.

There was no doubt in Astoria's mind that this woman was Ginny's mother. "Hi, Mum," she replied with a smile.

"Well, come now, you two. Everyone else is already waiting for you in the sitting room, and dinner will be ready in a bit." Molly shooed the pair of them into a room filled with Weasleys.

Astoria found herself inadvertently clinging onto Harry's arm. _They all just look so similar!_ She thought back to the descriptions she had written down on her cheat sheet. 'Tall, red hair, with brown eyes' wasn't going to accurately decipher any of the men. All she could hope to do was use what she recalled from memory and hope that the other family members called each other out by name - and often.

Once Harry and Astoria were seated on a small sofa, nearby another red-headed man, one of the brothers stood in the center of the room. He was definitely one of the older brothers, of this she was sure. His handsome and rugged face was aged slightly with wrinkles, he was extremely tan, and he was rather muscular, though his build was on the stocky side. He wore a bright smile, and Astoria recognized it immediately as the one she had been wearing for the last day and a half.

"Everyone, can I have your attention?" the man standing in the center of the room said. "I know Mum told you all that I have an announcement, so here it goes. I'm getting married!"

Immediately, the sitting room began bursting with sound. Several of Ginny's sister-in-laws began jumping excitedly, and some of them even rushed to the center of the room to give the man a hug. Vaguely, she was able to decipher the name 'Charlie,' and she was certain that that was who the man was. Awkwardly, she continued to sit by Harry, as she was unsure of how Ginny would react in this situation.

All of her uncertainties would need to be put on hold, however, as Charlie had come to stand right in front of her. She looked up, attempting to plaster a realistic smile on her face. She stood up beside him, looking up toward his face; he was significantly taller than she. Before she could even respond, he had engulfed her into an unbearably tight embrace, lifting her off of her feet.

"Oh, Ginbug," he whispered in her ear, planting a kiss on her cheek. "I've missed you so much." He set her down in front of him, running the back of his hand affectionately down the side of her cheek. "Aren't you happy for me, Gin?"

"Of course I am!" Astoria said. "What is her name, Charlie? Did you not bring her?"

Charlie smiled. "Her name is Amelia, but she is still in Romania."

"I am positive that she is a beautiful woman." Astoria was surprised at how much she actually meant that. "I simply cannot wait to meet her, though! Will you be getting married in London?"

He nodded before being pulled away by one of his brothers. Everyone was sitting around and talking happily, and Astoria simply sat back and watched everything unfold. Before this day, she was happy with having only one sister. She and Daphne got along quite well, but most of the time, they stayed out of each other's way. But when she saw what it was like to have such a large, loving family filled with people who supported and cared about everything that the others did, she yearned for it. Such an outpouring of affection from these people over a simple engagement announcement would have seemed ridiculous in her family, but not for the Weasleys. For the first time in her life, she wished she had been brought up differently.

Soon enough it was time for dinner, and the food cooked by Mrs. Weasley was heaven on a platter. Anything and everything she could have hoped for was available on the tray, and Astoria actually found herself feeling guilty that she had ever doubted that visiting this place would be pleasurable. Even the conversations that she had with Ginny's brothers came almost naturally. Though she didn't know all of their names at first, it didn't seem to matter. The Weasley family was exceptionally welcoming, and they felt like her own.

But, of course, nothing could stay that easy. After dinner, it happened.

Charlie said, "Hey, Gin, let's go play a game of Quidditch!"

Astoria didn't know what to do. Sure, she had seen Quidditch games and she knew how to fly, but Ginny was a former professional. There was no way that any meager attempt at Quidditch would satisfy the members of this family. They would know immediately that she was an imposter if she joined their game. Then again, she also knew Ginny well enough to know that she would never refuse a game of Quidditch. She was stuck.

"Sure," Astoria said, attempting to smile convincingly. "That sounds like...fun."

* * *

Scorpius arrived only moments before noon. He knocked on the door of his parents' bedchambers politely, and entered when he heard his mother answer. "I'm home, Mum," he said quietly.

Ginny turned around and smiled before realizing why the boy was home. She immediately saw the large bandage wrapped around his wrist and ran to him. "Oh, darling, are you alright? Does it hurt terribly?"

"Well, yeah, Mum. I got my hand smacked by a bludger."

She bent forward and kissed his wrist. "My goodness, I can only imagine how terribly this must feel. I've never had such a awful injury." Ginny pulled him in for a bone-crushing hug. "Scorpius, you've got to be more careful. I worry about you boys so much."

"Boys?" he asked, pulling away. "Mum, what are you talking about? You hate me playing Quidditch, and you told me just this year that if I got hurt you'd give no sympathy."

"You're my son. I - I'll always care."

"No, you won't. Not about this." He inclined an eyebrow. "Who are you?"

"I'm your mother, what do you mean?"

"You couldn't possibly be my mother."

"This is completely mad. What are you on about?"

He smirked menacingly, in that moment baring an even more striking resemblance to his father. "My mother would never hug me because of a Quidditch injury, never dote on me the way you just did, I have never heard my mother use a contraction in her speech and, my mother only has one boy to worry about." He stepped forward, his expression turning sour. "I'm going to ask you again - who are you?"

"Scorpius, stop."

Scorpius didn't stop. "I only know one mother who has more than one boy playing Quidditch and cares about the sport. You're Albus's mum, aren't you. Mrs. Potter?"

Her eyes gaped. "Keep your damn voice down!" Part of her was impressed at how quickly he was able to see that she was an imposter, but a larger part feared for her life. "Scorpius, you mustn't tell anyone, do you understand? No one knows I'm not your mother, and no one can know. I need you to promise me - can you do that?"

"Where is my mother? Is she okay?"

"She's with my husband."

"Is this a joke?" he asked, raising his voice. "How bored were the two of you, to decide to switch husbands?"

"Shh! I'll explain later, alright? I need your help - the House Elves won't listen to me, and your grandparents are going to know something is wrong. Please, I'll do anything."

"Fine, I'll help, but you had better have a good explanation for all of this."


	5. My Heart, Where My Head Should Be

Ginny sat alone in the garden of Malfoy Manor. Draco was at work and Scorpius was somewhere in the house, but she found that she really didn't want to be in anyone's company right then. More than anything, she needed to think about things, and she needed to be interrupted while she did so.

Lunch the day before had been one step short of a disaster. If Scorpius hadn't discovered her secret, she would have been in a lot of trouble, especially without Draco present. Even though the Malfoys had been cleared of any charges after the War, they still had a certain presence, and it wasn't one that Ginny thought that she'd ever feel comfortable around. They were snobbish and aristocratic to an infinite degree, and neither Lucius nor Narcissa were particularly good conversationalists. Most of their luncheon was spent listening to Narcissa criticize her about etiquette and such, while Lucius made underhanded remarks about everything.

Scorpius, truly, had been her saving grace. He steered the conversation away from any questions that Ginny may not have been able to answer properly, and when the tea needed tended to, he instructed the House Elves on what to do. He also made up an excuse to end the afternoon as early as possible, making up an excuse about his wrist and how he needed his mum to tend to him.

All in all, it had been a miserable time, and she did not envy Astoria for having to deal with those people regularly.

She sipped on her lemonade, admiring the garden that her friend was responsible for tending to. The irises were still in bloom, even though the season was passing, and Ginny couldn't help but stare. Irises had always been her favorite flower, ever since she was a young girl. She wanted to have an entire bouquet of them at her wedding, but since her wedding was in the winter, she was unable to. She settled for roses instead...

"Hey, you."

Ginny was startled from her thoughts. "Hello," she answered, turning to see Draco leaning against the patio doorframe. His tie was loosened and his top collar buttons of his freshly pressed white shirt were undone, but he looked incredible handsome. "You're home early, aren't you?"

"A bit, yeah," he said with a nod. "I ducked out early. I wanted to see you since I stuck you with my parents by yourself yesterday."

She smiled. "It was a bit rough, but I'm still here," she said coyly. "Do you, maybe, want to have a picnic with me?"

Draco frowned. "You want to willingly sit on the grass?"

A smile lit up her features. "There is such a thing as a blanket, you know." She stood and walked over to him, grasping one of his hands with both of hers. "Please, Draco. We can eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and talk and watch the sun go down, just you and me." She kissed his cheek gingerly. "What do you say, darling?"

He rolled his eyes. "Who are you and what have you done with my wife?"

She was lucky that she knew he was kidding.

A half an hour later, the pair of them sat on a red and white checkered picnic blanket, with a basket filled to the brim with sandwiches, apples, biscuits, crisps, and bottled beverages. Ginny sat Indian-style, while Draco had his legs stretched along the length of the blanket. They smiled and made small talk as they munched on their less than substantial picnic dinner.

"So, tell me something I don't know about you," Ginny said. They had just finished packing up the remainder of their food, and Draco had positioned her to sit between his stretched legs. She leaned her back against his chest, and together they sat, watching the sun go down.

He kissed the top of her head. "I think this is the most fun I've had with you in a long time."

Ginny smiled, but she couldn't help but feel guilty as well. "That doesn't count."

"Okay," he said, honestly trying to think of something to say. "You don't know that yesterday I had lunch with Harry Potter."

All feeling in her body dissipated. "Oh. Did you have fun?"

Draco chuckled to himself. "I don't know if 'fun' is the word I'd use, but I thought, and he agreed, that we ought to get along. You and Gin seem to be such good friends. We're going to try to cooperate for you."

"That's very thoughtful of you," Ginny said honestly. She couldn't help the warm feeling that spread when she heard him refer to her as 'Gin.'

"Yeah, well, don't get used to it," he teased. "So, you. Tell me something I don't know."

"Well, maybe you don't know how delicious you looked when you came by the garden after you left work."

"Is that so?"

"Mhm," she said breathlessly. "You've no idea what I wanted to do with you, you know."

"Really?" he asked, turning his face toward her, planting feather-light kisses against her teasing lips. "So, why don't you enlighten me?"

She continued to tease him. Between soft kisses, she murmured, "I wanted - to do - _this_."

Her lips pressed fiercely into his, pushing him to his side, halfway off of the blanket. She entangled her limbs with his, pressing her body against his as he ran his hands up and down her side. She shuddered as his hand slipped slightly beneath her shirt, teasing her soft skin with his fingertips. His hands kneaded into her hair, and she rolled him onto his back, positioning herself on top of her. Gently, she retracted her lips.

"Does that answer your question?" she asked in a sultry voice. She really had no idea what she was doing with him. She kissed his lips once more.

"It does," he responded with a nod. "Do you know what I want to do?"

She shook her head, a sly smile creeping onto her lips. She was imagining him ravaging her, taking her there in the garden, kissing every inch of her body and doing everything to her that she had ever dreamed about a man doing to her. She knew in her mind that anything he did to her would make her feel like a queen, and she longed for his touch. "What's that?" she asked, her voice heavy with desire.

"_This_," he said, his hands mercilessly tickling her sides.

Her eyes opened into wide orbs, and she began to laugh loudly as he continued his assault on her ribs, the backs of her thighs and knees, and under her arms. Though she attempted to with all of her might, she was unable to maintain her dominant position above him, finding herself pinned against the ground instead. Try as she might, she was unable to even fight fire with fire. None of her tickling attempts had any effect on the man.

When he finally slowed his attack, they did not speak. They continued to lie in the tall blades of grass, watching the sunrise fall until they fell asleep together.

Before she fell asleep, though, Ginny had one final thought. _Problem three, I think I love my best friend's husband._

* * *

"You know, Gin, I know you're a good flier, but you must have just been having an off-day yesterday," Harry said, laughing. It was nearly midday, and neither one had even entertained the thought of getting up. They sat together, talking about their dinner the day before at the Burrow. After their long day, he decided that it was in his best interest to take a personal day and enjoy the afternoon with his wife.

Dinner at the Burrow had been interesting, to say the least. After Harry and Astoria were asked to join the rest of the Weasley clan for an exciting game of Quidditch, she convinced all of them that she didn't retire from the Harpies, solely because of wanting to start a family. She was unable to score any goals as a Chaser. In fact, she was so unfamiliar with the rules of the sport that she began trying to chase the Bludgers, trying to catch one as if it were the Snitch. She was not very successful in this endeavor, and everyone looked at her like she was rather daft, but Harry convinced them all that she was just being silly because she really didn't feel like playing. Once she knew what she was supposed to be doing, she was still unable to score any points for her side, but at least she was chasing after the right ball.

"Ginny, if you didn't want to play Quidditch yesterday, why didn't you just say so?"

Astoria smiled half-heartedly, knowing that she'd never get used to being called by her friends name. She wondered how Harry would react if he knew who she really was. It almost made him sick.

"I suppose I was not feeling so well yesterday," she said, sighing. "I was not in the proper mood, and I did not want to stop my brothers from playing. Maybe it was Charlie. The news of his engagement came as quite a bit of a shock, did it not?"

Harry leant toward her, kissing her cheek, neck and throat. He used his tongue to massage her pulse points, eliciting a soft moan. "Well, I don't care about any of that," he whispered against her ear. "I just want to spend time with you. Let's do something fun that we haven't done for a long time. Let's - let's bake cookies!"

Her eyes doubled in size. "Make them? _Ourselves_?"

He chuckled softly. "Come on, you." He grabbed her arm and lifted her up, placing his other arm beneath her knees. He propped her up on his shoulder, her head and arms dangling down by his backside, smiling to himself as she fought against him.

"Harry Potter! I am not a sack of potatoes! Put me down this instant!" she cried, playfully slamming her fists into his back. "This is not funny, Harry. I am completely serious!"

"I'm sure you are, dear."

When they finally reached the kitchen, he set her down on the table. He smiled at her mockingly, teasing her at being so defenseless toward him.

She crossed her arms over her chest. "I shall not be making cookies."

"Fine."

"Fine?"

"Yeah," Harry said casually, walking over to the kitchen counter. He grabbed a bag of flour and put his hand inside, forming a large fistful. He walked back to Astoria, who was looking a little more than smug and not paying attention to him, and released it on top of her head. Her outraged expression made Harry burst into a fit of laughter.

She got off of the table. "That was not funny!" she shrieked, shaking out her hair.

"I thought it was priceless."

Astoria was about ready to explode at him in anger, but something about the way he laughed halted her actions. There was something about his happiness that made her less furious. His expression was so open, so childlike, that she couldn't help but laugh along with him. When he wasn't looking, she reached into their bag of flour, and threw even more at him. They both laughed hysterically, never minding the huge mess that was covering the kitchen floor.

When their laughter began to slow down, she looked at him with wide eyes. There was something about him that was so different from her own husband that attracted her to him. He was her complete opposite. He was carefree, a little bit on the immature side, and funny, but above all, he was sweet to the point that she almost pitied him.

Almost.

She walked to him, biting her lip and lifting an eyebrow. When she reached him, she kissed him. She licked and nibbled on his ear, not caring about the mouthful of the tasteless white powder that she ingested along the way.

His hands snaked around her back, tugging at her nightshirt. He pulled it above her head, kissing his way down her neck, over her neck, and down her stomach. Harry guided her to the floor, taking care of her all along the way.

She couldn't remember the last time sex had been so sweet.

* * *

The next morning, Ginny felt a surge go through her body, and she knew that the Polyjuice had worn off. Sure that Draco was still asleep, she ran back to the manor, anxious to take her next dose.

Before she could, she ran into Scorpius, who looked unhappy.

"What do you think you're doing, Yoko?" he asked, his arms crossed over his chest.

She blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I _saw_ you, _Mrs. Potter,_ having your little tickle fight in the field with my father last night. You do realize that you've got a real husband to do those things with, right?"

Ginny blanched. "Scorpius, it wasn't what it looked like."

"Oh, really," he said, his expression almost amused. "Because it _looked_ like you and my father fell asleep together over a nice, romantic picnic, after you snogged each other tired. It _looked_ like you were snogging someone who was _not _your _husband_. What part of that wasn't what it looked like?"

"Well, none of it," she admitted grudgingly. "But you've got to understand, I'm not trying to cause problems."

"Too late," he said shortly. "You've already started a fire and threw gas on it. You've already made my father happier with you than he is with my mother."

"Well, I -" She stopped, closing her mouth abruptly. "What did you just say?"

He chuckled softly and humorlessly. "I may be a kid, but I'm not stupid and I'm not blind. I saw you two together, and I saw how happy you were. I know that my mum and dad aren't as happily married as they like to pretend to be, but what I saw..." He trailed off, slowly shaking his head. "I haven't seen him as happy as he was last night for a long time. It doesn't matter what you were trying to do, what matters is that it's done. You've got to tell him the truth."

"No! Scorpius, you know I can't! He'll be furious with me and your mum!"

"I don't really care. If you don't tell him by the end of the day, you'd better believe that I will." He stalked away.

Ginny watched him go. Under her breath, she muttered, "Well, he certainly is a Malfoy."


	6. Lie To Me

Around midday, after Draco had already gone to work, Ginny heard an owl pecking on the window of the Manor's study. It was easily recognizable as Harry's white owl, Ludwig. She smiled as she accepted the letter and noted that the envelope said, "Malfoy Manor – current lady." Astoria was smart enough to know that writing Ginny's name was a risk, but writing her own name would cause the letter to be sent back to her. Ginny opened up the letter and read:

_Ginny,_

_I think we should meet. Come to the Leaky Cauldron around three._

_Astoria_

At promptly three o'clock, Ginny arrived and sat down at the table Astoria was already occupying. It was odd for Ginny to be having lunch with someone who looked just like her, and she spent the first five minutes or so just staring.

Astoria cleared her throat loudly. "You do know that you are not acting like me at all, do you not?" she asked, not unkindly. "Really, Ginevra, do stop staring."

Ginny smiled. "Sorry."

A waiter interrupted them briefly to take their orders.

"So, how is everything?" Ginny asked after their orders had been taken. "Did you enjoy going to the Halloween ball? Is Harry … suspicious of anything?"

Astoria shook her head. "Everything is going well. Your husband is quite charming, actually, and he was a wonderful date to the ball. He does not seem to notice that anything is different – or, at least, he has not said as such." She paused briefly, thinking. "He did notice that I was well behaved, though, and he thanked me."

Ginny flushed. "I told you I dislike those events," she said defensively. "Draco has also been really great, although perhaps you could've warned me that he likes to join his wife in the shower. That was a bit of a shock."

The other woman pursed her lips. "I suppose I had not actually considered that something like that would be relevant." Her eyes narrowed. "He has not touched you, has he?"

"No!" Ginny lied. "Has Harry?"

"Of course not!" Astoria said, also lying. "Has he noticed any changes in your behavior? You were not acting much like me when you walked into the pub just a bit ago."

Ginny frowned. "No one has noticed anything, Astoria, although I do hope you haven't been talking like that all along. You're speaking way too proper to be me."

"And you are being far too casual to be me!"

"Well, if no one has said a word, then it is a moot point, isn't it?" Ginny said, perhaps more defensively than she intended. "I can't help but wonder why you called this meeting, Stor? Is there something you've not told me?"

Astoria's eyes narrowed to thin slits, much like an expression Ginny had seen on Scorpius a number of times. "I just wanted to see if everything was going well, Ginevra. I know that sometimes my husband can be unpleasant and I wanted to make sure that he has been treating you well." Her tone of voice was unfeeling and almost dangerous. "I would have thought that by now you would have wondered if your husband was doing well."

"I think about Harry all the time, but I know he'd never treat anyone badly. It's not his nature."

"If you are suggesting that my husband is –"

"What I'm suggesting is that Harry is very different from Draco. It's nice to spend time with a man who doesn't dote on me like I'm a porcelain doll."

Astoria bit her lip. "I have to admit, I do enjoy spending time with Harry. He is not nearly as argumentative as my husband."

"It's refreshing!" Ginny added.

"He is sweet!" Astoria said at the same time.

The rest of their lunch went on much more smoothly, and it ended with them going their separate ways. Ginny returned to the Manor disguised still as Astoria, while the real Astoria went back to Grimmauld Place. It wasn't until Ginny had arrived back in Wiltshire that anything actually sunk in. Neither one had suggested that they take the opportunity to switch back. She wondered if Astoria had lied as she had. Was Astoria was falling for Harry as hard as Ginny had fallen for Draco?

The thought should have disturbed her more than it did. It was a distinct possibility that Astoria was not being completely truthful about what was happening, just as she hadn't been. Even if she hadn't slept with Draco, exactly, they had engaged in a few very passionate kisses and Astoria certainly had a right to know about them. But, would it be such a bad thing if Astoria fell for Harry?

Their stupid, innocent little scheme to avoid going to tedious events for the sake of their husbands had turned into a lot more than they had bargained for. They weren't just hurting themselves, but they were well on the way to hurting their husbands and children in the process.

* * *

Even though he had promised he'd give her a day to tell his father the truth, Scorpius was tired of the game his mother and Mrs. Potter were playing. Even if he was only thirteen and everyone thought he was only a child, he still knew that this whole thing was immature. He was perceptive enough to know that once the reality of the situation came out into the open, there was no way that everything could go back to normal. The only way for it to end was badly.

He owled his father and arranged for them to meet for a late lunch at the Leaky Cauldron.

"Afternoon, Son," Draco said as he sat down. He was in his business robes and carried a briefcase.

"Hello, Father." Scorpius had always found Draco to be much more intimidating in his work garb, and subconsciously he sat up a bit straighter in his seat. "I'm glad you were able to take a break from work for me."

Draco glanced at his watch. "I haven't got much time, though, so let's not stall here." He paused, folding his hands in front of him and leaned forward a bit farther. "We both know you have a reason for asking me to meet with you, so why don't you just tell me what it is."

Scorpius nodded. "Right, okay," he said. Even though he was very similar in appearance and personality with his father, they had never really had a good relationship. They even had a lot of the same interests, but they were both hard and unapproachable, and it made for a very cold, unpleasant conversation between the two of them. "I, well, I wanted to talk to you about Mother."

The older man's expression softened immediately, his face's semi-permanent scowl almost turning into a smile. "What about her?"

"Well, doesn't she seem different?"

Draco shrugged. "I don't think so, but we have been getting along better. I even talked to Potter, and we both agreed to stop giving your mum and Ginny Potter a rough time about our little Sunday meetings. I suppose it's my way of compromising for her being pleasant at the Falcons' match."

"That's what I mean, Father. I mean, Mum and Quidditch?"

"Her best friend is an ex-Harpy."

Scorpius snorted humorlessly. "But Mum hates Quidditch, and she always has. Don't you think it's abnormal that all of a sudden she's taken an interest in it?"

Draco narrowed his eyes at his son. "If I didn't know better, I would think you didn't want your mother and me to get along. What's this really about?"

The younger Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Of course I want you to get on well with Mum. I just think it's a bit off. Not last month you two bickered nonstop! Now, I come home and the two of you have a tickle fight and a picnic with_ finger foods_. I mean, really, Father, does that seem like the Astoria Malfoy that you know?"

"That's enough!" The older man's expression grew sour. "You would do well to watch your mouth," Draco said with a warning tone. "Remember that this is your mother we are speaking about, and you should address her as such. And, it really isn't your place to comment on our affairs. We're your _parents_."

"I'm sorry, Father," Scorpius said, his attitude dissipating considerably. "I wasn't trying to be disrespectful toward Mother. I just think she's been different, is all. It really isn't like her to change, is it?"

Draco's face grew into a full smile. "No, it doesn't," he said softly. "It means she's actually trying." He pulled out a few Galleons to pay for their meals and tossed them onto the table. "I've got to go. Enjoy the Alley, Son." He tossed more money at Scorpius carelessly.

When he left, he passed by his wife, who was disguised as Ginny, and gave her a curt nod. Scorpius chuckled at this, gathering up the money that his father had given him. If he really was deluded enough to think that Ginny was his wife and refused to listen to reason, then there really was nothing much for Scorpius to do.

* * *

Ginny found an old photo album of Draco's hidden away in the back of their bedroom closet. She didn't know what she was looking for, really, but this was what she ended up with.

Taking a deep breath, she blew away all of the dust that had been collected on the cover. It appeared to her that the album hadn't been touched in years. Upon opening it, she found that it was filled with photographs from his Hogwarts years, and she couldn't help but smile at them. Scorpius looked so much like his father when Draco was in school that one of those photos could have almost been passed off as him.

One picture in particular caught her eye. It was from her fifth year, and so it would have been his sixth. What was striking was that it wasn't a picture of Draco or Pansy or any of his other friends. It was a picture of _her_ in her Quidditch robes. She was both confused and surprised. When she heard footsteps in the hallway, she shut the album and made a mental note to ask Draco about the photograph later.

Scorpius entered the room. Without wasting time on niceties, he said, "I had lunch with my dad today."

Ginny blanched. "Scorpius! You told me I had until the end of the day!"

"I lied," he replied with a shrug. "It doesn't matter because he still doesn't know, although it's not for lack of trying. I gave him so many hints and asked leading questions, but apparently he's pretty thick. You aren't even convincing as my mother! The Polyjuice is all you've got going. I guess it just goes to show how little he really knows her."

The older woman bit her lip. "I'm sorry. When your mum and I changed places, we were never trying to cause any trouble. You know that, don't you?"

He shrugged again. "I suppose. But it's too late for sorry, _Mum_." The last word was like acid on his tongue.

She raised her eyebrows. "I don't understand."

"Yeah, I know," Scorpius said bitterly, "but I figure I ought to start calling you that. You'll be my stepmum pretty soon, at least once my dad finds out who you are. I'm going to have to really get over you, though. I can't have a crush on my own stepmum."

Ginny chuckled despite herself. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm still married; I can't be with your father. There's just no way! Besides, I've got three children of my own with Harry. Your mother and I can't just swap husbands, and I don't even know how your mother feels about Harry – not that switching husbands would be an option if she did have feelings for him… Oh, dear." She stopped, collapsing onto the bed. "We've really made a mess of this, haven't we?"

Scorpius nodded solemnly. "If it means anything, I think Father really cares for you. He's different – nicer."

"You can't know that, Scorpius."

"Maybe I'm wrong, then." Scorpius stood from where he had sat down on the bed beside Ginny. "I have to go back to Hogwarts tomorrow, but I think you should tell him, Mrs. Potter. He might be mad at you when you do, but I think everything will work out eventually. I know it will. It has to be better than what's going on now, doesn't it?"

He turned to leave, but Ginny grabbed onto him, bringing him in for a hug. She kissed the top of his blond head. "Scorpius, I'm sorry for putting you through this mess. I hope you can forgive me. You certainly are the most perceptive thirteen-year-old I have ever met."

The boy smiled half-heartedly and returned Ginny's hug before leaving. It was obvious that he was unsure of how to feel or how he was supposed to react in a situation like this. Even if Scorpius really did like Ginny Potter, the idea that she could possibly replace his mother had to be a scary one.

After he was gone, Ginny threw herself on the bed. She didn't know what she should do – what the right thing to do was. All she knew was that things could never go back to the way they used to be. She just hoped that Scorpius was right. She hoped everything would turn out for the best.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks to Kim (Boogum) for the beta. Also, it had been brought to my attention that the italics and such were not working in my previous chapters, so I did go through and fix them. I think I got all of them, but if anyone notices any others, please let me know so that I can fix them. Thanks for reading! Please leave a review :)


	7. Crossing the Line

The next morning, Ginny woke up to an empty bed. She knew that Draco would already be at work, and so it then became her responsibility to see Scorpius off at King's Cross. After she and Scorpius said their goodbyes, Ginny didn't feel like going back to the Manor. With Scorpius gone and Draco at work, she would not have anyone to talk to and would more than likely ruminate over her guilty conscience. Instead, she wandered through Diagon Alley. However, when she finally reached the point of boredom during her walk through the Alley, it was still far too early to go home, as Draco would still be at work for at least three more hours.

A thought occurred to her. Even if staying away from Malfoy Manor kept her mind off her current situation, it didn't make the problem go away. She needed help; she needed to know what to do. It hadn't dawned on her until that moment that she should talk to someone she trusted. There was one person who had been there for her throughout her entire life, who respected her and never treated her like a child, and that was who she needed now.

Ginny continued down the street until she got to Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. It was past lunchtime but before the work day ended, so she was reasonably certain that the shop would not be too terribly crowded. She entered the building, and she couldn't help but smile as soon as she passed over the threshold. It had been too long since she'd visited her brother at work. It was just a shame that she wasn't going to be visiting while wearing her own face.

George was just inside the door, ready and waiting to greet his customers. He smiled at Ginny. "Good morning, Miss," he said happily.

She stepped forward, gripping his arm. "George, can I speak with you in your office, please?" Ginny asked quickly.

He gave her a curious look. "Of course." After leading her into his office, which was a disaster in desperate need of being cleaned and organized, he turned to her. George continued to eye her skeptically. "Do I know you?"

"It's Ginny."

George looked her over, nodding his head as though he were in thought. After a few moments, he said, "No, my sister is a little bit shorter, heavier, and has hair that's a bit more… red."

"You think I'm fat?"

"Who are you?"

"Ginny!"

"Okay, if you're Ginny then you can tell me something only Ginny knows, right?"

She nodded impatiently. "What do you want to know?"

"Like I said, anything that only Ginny would know. You prove to me that you're Ginny Potter, and I won't turn you in to St. Mungo's."

Ginny rolled her eyes as she began to think. She knew lots of intimate details about her brothers, but she needed an appropriate one that would clearly distinguish that she was absolutely a Weasley. Suddenly, she got an idea. Her panicked expression turned into a smirk. "George Weasley, you had a crush on Hermione Granger when you were in your sixth year. You didn't realize it until after you saw her with Viktor Krum, and you stood in front of the mirror in your dorm room practicing how you would threaten him if –"

"Hey, it's Ginny!" George exclaimed, cutting her off and pulling her in for a hug. "So, why do you look like…"

"I switched places with Astoria Malfoy."

"Okay. Why?"

She rolled her eyes. "Because I'm tired of being paraded around on Harry's arm. I didn't want to go to the damn Ministry Ball and become so bored that I have to wreak havoc on the place like I do every year, and then go home and fight with Harry about how immature I was." She threw herself into the chair at George's desk. "I just wanted to do something that was different, I guess."

"Ginny, this has got to be one of the stupidest things that you've ever done." George stood in front of her, his arms crossed over his chest as he lectured his sister. "So you've got problems with your marriage and you don't get along all of the time. Who doesn't have that problem, Gin?"

"But see, that's the thing. I've loved Harry for as long as I can remember, but I just don't know if I am anymore. I'm tired of always being The-Boy-Who-Lived's wife, and that never used to bother me. I was always happy to be associated with him, to be in his shadow, but I hate it now. I _resent_ him for pushing me back into his shadow. I feel like he stole my identity." She paused, looking down at her hands. "It sounds selfish and melodramatic, I know, but when I'm with Draco –"

"When you're _what_?" George's voice went up an octave at the last word.

"Not like that! I wouldn't sleep with him; I'm still married."

"But you like him? _Malfoy_?"

"Yeah, I do," she said quietly.

"_Why_, Gin?" George asked, a hint of disbelief in his voice. "What is it about him that is making you doubt the life you've had with Harry?"

Ginny considered this for a long time. She really hadn't given much thought about what was different about Draco that made her question how she felt about Harry. He was different, for sure, but why? It wasn't that he treated her better, and he certainly wasn't any nicer, but he made her feel good about herself in a way that Harry never did. Harry was all about being righteous and true, and when she was a child this was something that she admired. Years later, though, it was something that made her resent him. He made her look flawed and feel like less of a person because she _wasn't_ the savior of the Wizarding world. Ginny knew that it wasn't intentional, but it was still something that existed in their relationship, and she couldn't look past it. She never could.

But Draco was different. He wasn't good and pure like Harry, and he never wanted to be. Like with Harry, this was something that she viewed differently as a child as opposed to how she felt as an adult. At Hogwarts, she hated Draco. He was everything that Harry wasn't, and at the time it made him the enemy. But as an adult she had become close to Astoria, resulting in inadvertently getting to know Draco better. He had made mistakes when he was young, though his pride prevented him from admitting it, but he forced himself to learn and grow from his experience rather than regretting it. This, in Ginny's opinion, made him a bigger person than Harry in some ways, and it wasn't until the moment that George had asked Ginny _why_ that she understood something very important. She had been falling for Draco for a long time; she just never wanted to admit it.

She felt a tear trickle down her cheek as she looked up to meet her brother's eyes. Ginny was torn by the fact that she wasn't in love with Harry anymore, but she was also relieved that she would finally be able to admit it aloud. "George, I think I've loved him for years."

George pulled up another chair beside hers. He straddled it backwards, resting his chin on the back of the chair. "Ginny, I will never like the idea of you with Draco Malfoy. It disturbs me in ways that I just don't even want to think about, but if you think you'll be happier with him than with Harry then you've got to do what's best for you. I just want you to really think about this."

She chuckled humorlessly. "See, that's just it. He thinks I'm Astoria, not Ginny, and Astoria is my good friend. Even if Draco wanted me, I couldn't do something that would hurt my friend."

"Ginny, I saw Astoria with Harry the other day at the Burrow," George said tentatively. "I thought that she was you, of course, but I have to be honest with you. He was different. It was the happiest I'd seen him in years, Gin, and I don't know if it's got anything to do with her or not. I just want you to know."

Ginny felt a pang in her chest. Naturally, she'd considered the thought at some point she might be with Draco and imagined how horrible she'd feel about hurting Harry. She never considered that Harry might be happier without her, and the thought hurt her more than she liked. It was also obvious at this point that Astoria hadn't been completely honest with her, either.

"If I were you, Ginbug, I'd talk to the ferret and tell him the truth."

George's statement broke her from her thoughts. She bit her lip as she got up from her chair, giving her brother a tight hug as she prepared to leave.

"Promise me you'll keep this a secret, yeah?" Ginny asked.

George nodded and Ginny left.

* * *

Draco had finished with work early, only a little past noon. When he discovered that his wife had not yet returned from seeing Scorpius back to Hogwarts, he took a seat in his library. Propping his feet up on the ottoman and opening his book in front of his face, he found that he really couldn't concentrate on the writing. Rather, he was still stuck on the conversation that he had had with his son the afternoon prior while at the Leaky Cauldron.

Astoria _had_ been different over the past few days. She'd almost turned into an entirely different person. His wife's actions, although strange, were not as curious as the fact that she had changed so little in the fifteen years that they'd been married. Since she was a young girl at Hogwarts, she'd always been very proper and classy with very specific ideas of what should be expected of a young lady. Being anything other than polite and agreeable to her husband was on the wrong side of what was appropriate, and when they had first got married this was something that Draco had really liked. Over the years, however, it got irritating and he longed to have a wife that would speak her mind every once in a while. He actually began to dread the time that they spent together because she had almost no personality. Sometimes he was tempted to start a fight with her, just to see what she would do in response. His sniping abilities had depleted significantly over the years.

His wife also had very specific interests: being a wife, being a mother, and keeping up appearances. Astoria cared deeply for her husband and her son, and Ginny Potter for some reason, but everything was skin-deep. Hobbies were frivolous and unnecessary. All a proper woman should do throughout the day is tend to her home, keep up on reading so that she can be as suitable a wife as possible, and make sure that her family is cared for. The brunette woman was a master at this, and never strayed from the path that she had laid out for herself.

But lately she'd been different. She was less concerned with what she wore, she got excited over a Quidditch match, and she even proposed that they have a picnic in the meadow. She was also less obsessive about the way she spoke. It wasn't as though Draco could not appreciate how hard Astoria would always try to be the perfect picture of an aristocratic wife, but sometimes being around her was very monotonous because, in her mind, he could do no wrong. Though he couldn't deny that he liked having his ego stroked, after a while he found that he hated the way she put him on a pedestal. Draco hated being with Astoria.

Draco thought back to his years at Hogwarts, his sixth year in particular. He had been under terrible stress and had spent the entire year hanging on by a thread. There was so little in his life at the time that seemed normal and carefree, and he longed for it the entire time. He wanted to fight with his Gryffindor foes and play Quidditch and take all of the pretty girls out on Hogsmeade weekends, but he couldn't. That whole year, there was only one moment where he felt some semblance of normalcy. _She_ had been there, practicing for an upcoming Quidditch match. He had watched her, wanting desperately to be as happy as her. There wasn't anything spectacular about the way she looked, although she wasn't ugly by any means, but something about her passion and determination made it hard for him to take his eyes off her. He took a picture of her while she was flying and he kept it hidden inside his school trunk. Whenever he was so stressed that he thought he couldn't make it, he would look at that picture of her to remind himself that there was still good in the world, even if he wasn't a part of that.

He didn't see Ginny much after that day, not for years. But there was one day that he had come home from work to find the Potters sitting in his garden, having tea with his wife. He hated having his old, school-yard nemesis in his home on a regular basis, and he was certain that Harry felt the same, but Draco felt quite differently in regard to Ginny being there. She was witty and a good conversationalist, and he found that he couldn't stop thinking about her after she and Harry would leave. There was something about the fiery woman that made him want her. Ginny wasn't afraid of him, despite his past, and she certainly wasn't timid and shy like Astoria. On more than one occasion during their regular get-togethers she had put him in his place, and rather than being defensive and rude in return, he was impressed. She had an air of confidence, an interesting personality, and it didn't hurt that she had turned into quite the beautiful woman over the years.

The funny thing was that Astoria had begun reminding him of her. It was a disturbing thought, especially since Ginny was such a good friend to his wife, but he chocked it up to perhaps Ginny having an addicting personality. Maybe Ginny was just rubbing off on Astoria. He felt guilty for hoping so. He felt guilty for wanting Ginny more than he wanted his wife.

Lost in thought, he barely heard the door to his study open and his wife enter.

She sat down on the ottoman, carelessly pushing his feet off the side. "Draco, I need to talk to you about something," Ginny said.

Draco set down his book on the side table, sitting up straighter. "Sure," he answered simply.

Ginny bit her lip. "So, I know that the last few days I've been a bit –"

"Different?" he offered.

"Well, yes," she said. Ginny stood, pacing the floor nervously in front of his chair. "I know that I've been a bit different and there's something I have to tell you, because it will explain a lot."

"No," he stated. "It doesn't matter."

"No, it really does," she insisted. "Really, Draco, you have to know that –"

"Astoria, I don't care why you're different."

"But see, that's the thing. I'm not –"

"You are not understanding me, Stor," he said, standing up to meet her. He put both of his hands on her shoulders, effectively halting her nervous motions. "I don't care what life epiphany you've had that's changed your outlook on not being a mindless shell of the person you could be; I'm just happy that you've grown a bloody backbone."

"That's the thing, though. I haven't –"

"Just stop, alright? I want you to stop."

"I can't. You –"

She wasn't able to say anything else. Draco's lips crashed into hers so hard, so abruptly, that it took her a moment to even realize what had happened. When Ginny finally was able to react to him, she laced her arms around his neck and kissed back, unable to stop herself. She knew it was wrong, knew it was a mistake to allow herself to indulge in this, but in that moment nothing could stop her from allowing him to do whatever he wanted with her. She had tried to be honest, tell him the truth about who she really was, but he wouldn't let her. Even if she was in his wife's body, he saw through her skin. He looked past the façade that she had put up to who she actually was, and _that_ was who he wanted. Ginny couldn't find the strength to stop him as he sensually began to remove her clothing.

Everything that she knew was wrong about this situation vanished from her mind. His hands on her body, brushing ever-so-lightly against her newly bared flesh, made her dizzy. She let go of everything, pouring herself into him until all she could think about was Draco and the way his warm skin felt against hers. There was no awkwardness, no fumbling. Their bodies fit together so seamlessly that she almost felt as if she had always been with him. In that moment, the past fifteen years were nonexistent. There was no Harry, no children, no marriages. All that existed was herself and Draco. Everything else faded away until it ceased to be.

When it was over her whole body was numb, and not just because of the euphoria following her earth-shattering climax. It seemed as all of her muscles had relaxed. She could have spent the next fifteen years in his arms, and in that moment she made a choice. After sharing that intimate experience with him, she could never lie to Draco again. She had to do something to make him listen. He needed to know the truth about who she was, and Ginny was certain that after what they had shared, he'd understand.

After dressing quickly, she snuck to their bedchambers. There was a small jewelry box that sat on the wardrobe that held what she needed. There was only one way to prove that she was Ginny Potter and not Astoria Malfoy, and that simple solution was inside the porcelain case. She opened it, retrieving the vial, and walked toward the bathroom. Without giving it a second thought, she poured the entire contents into the toilet, flushing it away. Her remaining share of the Polyjuice Potion was gone.

It wasn't until much later that she realized what she had done.


	8. Not Good Enough

The sunlight shone brightly through the bedroom window of Number Twelve Grimmauld Place. Though winter was only weeks away, England had barely began to experience autumn weather. It was a wonderful treat, and it was something that Astoria wanted to take complete advantage of.

She stretched her long, almost unnaturally thin arms over her head, and let out a loud sigh. She threw her legs off the side of the bed and glanced over to the mirror above the wardrobe. After a long, hard look at her reflection, she decided that her chestnut brown hair was in serious need of brushing. Something else seemed _off_ to her, as well. The skin around her eyes was a bit puffy, her complexion was less pink, and her freckles had also disappeared overnight.

It took a moment for realization to settle in. She wasn't supposed to have chestnut colored hair. She had forgot to take her Polyjuice the night prior. This was very, very bad, and Astoria let out a loud gasp of panic. She slapped a hand over her mouth, hoping that the noise would not disturb Harry. Unfortunately, she wasn't so lucky.

Harry, who had been lying peacefully beside her, rolled to face her. "Gin, what are you doing?" he asked groggily. Slowly, he opened his eyes. Even without his glasses on, he knew that something was completely off about the way his wife looked. Frantically, he reached for his glasses. "What in the hell? _Astoria_?"

Astoria bit her lip nervously. "Harry, please try not to be angry!"

"Try not to be _angry_?" he mimicked, astounded. "What in the bloody hell are you doing in my house – in my bed?" He stood up, wrapping the sheets around his naked lower half. "Where is Ginny?" he added, almost as an afterthought.

"Ginny is with Draco," she responded timidly.

He raised his eyebrows while gesturing that more of an explanation would be required. "And? Is there any particular reason why?"

"There is a reason," Astoria stated. She began to uncharacteristically bite her nails. "Harry, please, just try not to be upset."

Harry took a few steps toward the brunette. "Oh, I am _way_ beyond upset here. Were you here with me last night? Were you _Polyjuiced_?

Shaking her head, she timidly said, "Yes."

"And I expect Ginny has been disguised as you?"

"Yes."

"How long?"

"We switched on Sunday."

Harry blanched, staring incredulously at Astoria. "So, I had sex with someone who wasn't my wife?" He spoke slowly and deliberately, and his tone was full of disbelief. "Astoria, don't you have a problem with what you've done here? I've been married to Ginny since I was barely out of Hogwarts and I've got children with her! Don't you feel guilty for hurting_ your_ husband?"

"No!" Astoria responded unabashedly. She straightened her spine, trying to appear more confident than she felt, and closed the gap between herself and Harry. "I do not feel guilty for sleeping with you because I _hate_ my husband. Do you have any idea what it is like to be married to a man who hates everything about you? Who wishes he could have married almost anyone else instead? Well, I do. Draco and I are always fighting about everything! I was raised to be a lady, to act like a doting wife and that is all, and he hates me for that! And I hate _him_ for wanting my best friend more than he wants me!"

If it were possible, Harry's face whitened further. "You – you mean Ginny?"

"Yes!" Astoria cried. "I cannot fathom how you never noticed the way he looks at her. That is the _only_ reason why he allows you to come to the Manor once a week." She sat down on the bed and folded her hands in her lap. She smiled sadly as she looked down at her hands. "I know I am generally rather reserved, but that does not mean that I am an idiot. I have known for a long time that he prefers her company. That is the main reason why I wanted to switch. For once, I wanted to know what it was like to have a husband who loves me."

Harry sat down beside her and grabbed her hand in a comforting gesture. "I should have known something was wrong," he said gently. "You were a terrible Ginny."

Astoria smiled despite herself. "She is very lucky to have you, you know. You are a wonderful husband."

"You aren't such a bad wife, you know." He grinned lopsidedly.

Her smile grew. "I really do care about you, Harry. I have for a long time, even before our switch. I realized a long time ago that you were the kind of man I always wanted to marry."

"I'm not close to perfect," he responded quietly, "just ask _my_ wife." He looked at Astoria for a long time, studying her expression intently. "Does she love him?"

"I honestly do not know." Astoria angled her body towards Harry. She nibbled on her lip nervously. "Is it wrong of me to hope that she does?"

Harry looked at her again, and a pregnant pause grew between them. After a few long moments, he said, "Honestly, I don't know."

* * *

It occurred to her that she had made a mistake only a second too late. If there was any chance that Draco would understand, then she would have to explain it to him. Of course, this was no easy task. She had tried to tell him the day before, but he was having none of it. He was stubborn and insolent, and he wouldn't let her finish a bloody sentence. So, it was settled; she would have to make him listen. She would have to force him to cooperate so that she could confess.

But she was scared - scared of rejection, scared of being hurt, scared of _him_.

She did the only thing she could. She ran away, back to Grimmauld Place, in the hopes that Astoria would have some advice, some way to gently explain to Draco what had been going on – or perhaps some extra Polyjuice Potion. But once again, this would be a difficult situation. She'd have to explain to Astoria what had happened and _why_. Ginny would have to admit to having slept with Draco, to being in love with him, to preferring the snarky, egotistical, insufferable blond man to her own husband. It was a distinct probability that she would lose a friend one way or another.

Without thinking, Ginny Apparated straight into the house. To say that she was sufficiently surprised by the sight was an understatement.

"What in the hell?" Ginny said loudly, disturbing her husband and friend, who was currently looking a lot more like herself, from their slumber.

Astoria shot up. "Ginevra!" she exclaimed. "I did not expect you to be, well, here!"

"You don't say," Ginny replied sardonically. "Do you think maybe you could explain what's going on here? And maybe why you look like _you_?"

Harry got up out of the bed and approached Ginny slowly. "I'm not exactly sure what gives _you_ the right to be upset here, Gin," he said carefully. "It's not as though you've been honest about anything."

Ginny's expression softened considerably. "Yeah, I know that."

"I think Ginevra and I need to have a talk," Astoria said.

With a curt nod in Astoria's direction and no acknowledgement toward Ginny, Harry left the room, leaving the two women alone to have a much-needed discussion.

"So, I guess Harry took it well," Ginny offered.

Astoria gave a small smile. "I suppose he took it as well as can be hoped." She scooted herself to the edge of the bed. "At first he was rather angry, but we talked and cleared a few things up. I think, perhaps, we should do the same, Ginevra."

"Fine," Ginny said, sitting beside Astoria. "You're in love with my husband, aren't you?"

Astoria considered lying, but decided against it. "Yes, I think I am. I think I have been for years, in fact." She paused, smiling weakly at her friend. "I suppose that there has always been a certain appeal to him, you know? He is rather charming and polite, so unlike my own husband. It was rather refreshing to feel so… respected."

Ginny chuckled humorlessly. "Know what's funny? I _hate_ how Harry treats me. I feel like I'm made of glass, or that I'm a child. It frustrates me."

"And Draco does not do that."

"No, he doesn't."

The younger woman smiled sadly. "He has been in love with you forever, Ginevra. He has a picture of you hidden on a shelf in our bedroom that he thinks I do not know about, and every time we argue he looks at it. Lately, that has been rather often."

Deciding not to mention that she had seen the picture, Ginny stood. "I have to see him. I have to tell him the truth." Desperately, she looked at her friend. "Astoria, I have to tell him today. I flushed the sodding Polyjuice, and I have less than two hours to tell him!"

"Then, my dear Ginevra, I suggest you hurry." Astoria smirked and stood from her place on the bed, enfolding Ginny in a friendly embrace. In Ginny's ear, she whispered, "Give him time; he will understand."

* * *

Draco was in his library when Ginny returned to the Manor.

She was more nervous to see him than she had ever been. Draco had always been intimidating, even as a boy in his years at Hogwarts, but Ginny had never been the type to shy away from a challenge. She'd faced Death Eaters – and her brothers – and she was not afraid of many things. But, in the few moments it took for her to find Draco, she realized that she _was_ afraid of losing him.

Nervously, she approached Draco. "Would you like to go on another picnic?" she asked.

The blond smiled at her – a real, genuine smile. It was a completely foreign expression on his normally cold face, but it suited him regardless. His handsome features were illuminated and his eyes sparkled. For that split second, Ginny considered that Astoria could be right. Maybe he would understand, and just maybe everything could turn out alright.

It took them a little while to compile a picnic basket, but afterward they trekked through the tall grasses into their spot.

Ginny faced him. She knew she did not have much time left before the potion would wear off, and she was also pretty certain that her nervousness was betraying her. She decided that the best option would be to tell him quickly.

"Draco, I need to tell you something."

He looked at her with a serene expression. Unlike the last time she had tried to confess everything, he actually appeared to be ready to listen. His smoldering grey eyes locked with hers, and she knew that this was it. It was now or never.

"Well, I know that you have noticed a difference in my behavior of late," she began, choosing her words slowly and deliberately. "And I have also noticed that you –"

She gasped. She could feel her skin bubbling with the wearing effects of the Polyjuice. Her arms were suddenly covered with freckles and red hair, the dress she wore was suddenly straining against her hips and breasts, and she could feel her face shifting. It had happened. Her timing was off, and it was over.

Draco shot up in the air so fast that it almost appeared as though he would soar into the sky. His face, which had looked completely content only a moment prior, had twisted into an appalled scowl that gave Ginny no room for interpretation. He was angry, clearly, and not at all pleased with what he had seen before him. Briskly, he began to tread back to the Manor, paying no mind to the picnic setup being left behind.

Ginny bolted, desperate to catch him before it was too late. When she finally reached him, she grabbed onto his shoulders. "Draco, _wait_!"

"For what?" he yelled, whipping around to face her so fast that Ginny had to take a few steps back. He matched those paces with his own. He was dangerously close to her and she could almost feel his heart race against her own chest. "What am I waiting for, Ginny? An explanation? Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Not at all!"

"Well, it is pretty obvious, isn't it? You've swapped lives with my lovely wife. What else is there to know?"

A single tear trickled down her cheek. "You need to know that I'm _sorry_! I tried to tell you before it was too late. Draco, I – I love you! I wanted to tell you yesterday, before we –"

"Before we _fucked_?" He gripped onto her shoulders, giving her a shake so hard that she nearly fell to the ground. "I hope you and Astoria are proud of yourselves."

There was no restraining her tears now. "Draco, I'm sorry."

"Well, guess what, Ginny? 'Sorry' isn't going to cut it. You are completely mad if you think I could ever love such a deceitful cow."

Ginny whimpered, heavily affected by the insult. "But couldn't you tell? Didn't you know something was different? Couldn't you feel it?"

Draco's eyes flashed; for a split second, he looked calm. "I think I always knew, but I wanted to keep pretending. But that doesn't make it okay, Ginny! What you did will never be okay." He shook her once more. "You had no right to play with me like that, to play with our lives! After being with you, do you honestly think I'd be able to go back to Astoria and be happy? Did you think of your bloody children _once_ when the two of you decided to play these childish games? Did you!"

The redhead clutched onto his arms, holding him tightly against her. "I'm sorry." She said it over and over again. She knew it didn't matter, but it was all she had left. It was over, and it wasn't going to be okay. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

Nothing would ever be the same.


	9. Insults and Allies

It was as if part of her had been ripped out. Every positive thought that she had cherished and all of the things she had hoped for had been taken from her. The whole encounter was like a slap in the face. The gig was up; her secret was all out in the open, and she was left with nothing. How could she have thought that everything could work out? How could she have been so _selfish_? How could she have even let herself get in so deep?

Aimlessly, she wandered through the garden at the Manor. She had nowhere else to go, no one else to talk to. Draco, certainly, would have no interest in being around her. And it hurt. When she was with him, everything felt so right. They had perfect chemistry, and he treated her so well without coddling. Everything about what she and Astoria had done had been completely misguided, and Ginny knew that, but she had also felt more alive than she had in years. There was something about Draco that Harry just didn't possess.

But it wasn't Harry's fault. It wasn't as though she didn't care for her husband. He had always been good to her, but there was no spark between them. She had always thought that if she stayed with him, stuck everything out, that eventually she'd fall in love with him and feel the way that she had always wanted to. She wanted the fictitious, romance novel type of love. She wanted to feel like time would stop when they were together and the whole world would melt away. She wanted to crave him and feel like she couldn't survive without him.

It just never happened.

Draco was not what she had expected or fantasized about, not even in her wildest dreams. He was such a hardened person. The man, in truth, had a good heart, but he was also rough around the edges. He took some getting used to. But the way he looked at her, the way he looked _through_ her, told her everything that she needed to know. She could feel him, feel that he loved her.

Now, though, everything had turned cold.

She had nothing now. Harry, she was quite sure, was not her biggest fan at the moment; Draco was so angry with her that it made her sick, and she had the strangest feeling that Astoria had always been a bit bitter towards her. The children would hate her, and Scorpius had already called her out on ruining his family. Her own family was in shambles, and so was Draco's. How could either of them ever forgive her for destroying everything?

But she had to try. There was nothing left to lose.

Bravely, she headed toward the manor, walking at a brisk pace to Draco's private library. Once inside, she took a deep breath and imagined the worst of the potential scenarios. He could hex her, which was a definite possibility, or he could say something else to hurt her worse. Although, 'I could never love a deceitful cow' did rank pretty high on the pain scale.

Rather than knocking and risking his swift rejection, Ginny entered his library.

Without looking up from his book, Draco said, "Go away, Ginevra."

His painful formality hurt her. She closed her eyes gently and took another breath. "Please, can I just say something?"

After casting a heated glance in her direction, he placed a bookmark in his book and closed it with a snap. He stood from his chair and tossed the volume that he had been reading into the spot where he had been sitting. "Fine," he said, approaching her. "Go ahead, Ginevra. You've got my full attention."

She really had nothing planned out, as she half-expected him to physically escort her from the room, so she went with her heart. "I didn't mean to make a mess of everything. I never thought for a second that -"

"That what?" he questioned, livid. "That you were going to destroy my life? That you were going to tear apart my family?" He laughed out loud, although there was no humor in it whatsoever. "As if you could have had that great of an effect on me. You aren't important enough. You are no more than a bloody pebble in my shoe, and regardless of what childish fantasies you have concocted, I will never love you."

Ginny closed her eyes again, feeling the familiar sting of tears at the back of her eyes. "Am I that awful?" she asked weakly.

"You are a stupid, wretched, untrustworthy harpy who only cares about herself."

"That's not true! I care about my family, and I care about you!"

Another humorless laugh escaped Draco's lips. "Right, you care about your family. Tell me, since you've been here with me, have you thought about any of them?"

It took her a long moment to consider this, to look back on the week that they had spent together, but then she reached a very painful conclusion. After a long pause, she looked down, too ashamed of herself to meet his eyes. It was time to stop lying. "No, I haven't."

"That's what I thought." He turned away, going back to his book and leaving Ginny to lose herself in thought. With one last look over his shoulder, watching as she turned to leave the library in defeat, he said, "I know you are better than that, Ginny. You're better than the way that you've acted."

Unsure of how to take his last comment, she didn't bother to turn to meet his eyes. But she felt him watching her as she left, and as soon as she allowed the door to close behind her, she let the tears she had been fighting pour down her cheeks. There was nothing left to hope for, nothing left worth fighting for. She didn't even know if she had the strength to fight anymore. The girl that she had once been – the passionate, righteous girl who would never give up – was gone. She was nothing but a shell of herself now.

* * *

Draco was completely thrown through a loop. How on earth was he supposed to react? It should have been obvious that the woman he had been living with was not his wife. Even though there was no doubt in his mind that people change, it should have been fairly alarming that Astoria had changed so much in a matter of hours. But so badly he had wanted to fall in love with her. He didn't want to be annoyed by his wife and disgusted by her constant submissiveness. Despite his upbringing, and regardless of his outward appearance, Draco still wanted to be a part of a happy family.

But it was so confusing. Though it was bordering on excruciating to admit it, he had to confess that he had always cared for Ginny more than he should have. Everything about her was intriguing. She was beautiful and powerful and fierce. She had never been right for Potter, and perhaps that was what led Draco to think of her in more than a friendly capacity. Funnily enough, he had never really considered her a friend. In his mind, she had gone from an acquaintance to a fixation, and then to someone that he almost desperately wanted to get to know better.

And then to find out how hurtful she could be was simply disheartening. She had hurt him more than Astoria ever could have, and then she had the nerve to apologize. As if an apology could have fixed a damn thing.

The most disturbing part of it all was that he should have known. He had seen the signs and had dismissed them. Scorpius had even tried to warn him that something was off, and Draco had frankly denied everything. Was it possible that his son had known all along? Was it so obvious that everyone else could see?

The more he thought, the more infuriated he became. He threw his book across the room and kicked over the chair on which he had been sitting in a fit of rage. This was too much. Much more than he could handle. Much more than he wanted to handle.

Another thought occurred to him then. Why hadn't Ginny gone home? Why was she still at Malfoy Manor? And moreover, why wasn't his real wife back with her real husband? Perhaps Potter didn't know about their husband swapping. Maybe Harry was feeling exactly what Draco was, or maybe he was still left in the dark.

Deciding that the appalling behavior that had been exhibited by the women was going to come to an end, Draco Apparated from his home.

It was time for him to take control.

* * *

Harry felt like Ginny was a complete stranger. She had come back to the house in shambles, crying because Draco had refused to forgive her. But why would he? Harry certainly hadn't, and he hadn't truly forgiven Astoria either.

The difference was that he sympathized with Astoria.

He wasn't a fool. Overly kind and perhaps even a bit naïve, but not a fool by any means. Ginny had always had a crush on him while they were in Hogwarts, but it had taken him years before he saw her as anything but Ron's little sister. Once he did, though, he couldn't get her out of his mind. And then he ruined it by always keeping her at arm's length, trying to protect her from everything. He treated her almost as her brothers did. He wanted her to be safe, and he wanted to protect her from encountering anything that could hurt her.

It took him years before he realized that he was too late. She had already faced Tom Riddle, fought against Death Eaters, and helped win the war, and she had survived by her own merits. She was powerful witch, a force to be reckoned with, and she didn't want or need to be cosseted. Ginny needed time to develop fully, but she wanted to do it while at his side. She didn't want to spend her best years in the background as everyone she loved fought for their lives.

By the time he'd realized the mistake he had made, she had already resented him. She had moved on.

After Ginny had come to the house crying, Astoria had taken her to a café, and Harry went in to work. He didn't want to be home right now. He didn't want to think about how bad everything had become. Clearing his head was his best option.

But then he had a visitor.

"I have been waiting here for a bloody hour and a half, Potter," Draco said, standing to meet him. "Where the hell have you been?"

Harry narrowed his eyes at the sight of the one person he wanted to talk to less than his wife. "It's actually my day off, Malfoy," he answered coldly. "But I've got to wonder what _you_ are doing here, considering that you do not work at the Ministry."

The blond smirked. "I'm here to see you, of course. I wanted to tell you what our lovely wives have been up to for the last week."

"I already know." Harry rolled his eyes. "Astoria forgot to take her Polyjuice. I woke up, and I didn't have a redhead in my bed."

Draco snorted. "Astorie always was a little twit."

"I'd rather you didn't talk about her that way." He paused. "In fact, I'd rather you just left."

"She's my wife, and I'll say what I like," Draco answered coldly. "Although, I am a bit surprised that you care. I would have thought that after spending a week with that brainless harpy that you would have nothing good to say."

"What about Gin? What do you have to say about her?"

"I told her to her face that she was a deceitful cow, among other things."

Harry's expression didn't change. "Your wife seems to think you fancy Ginny," he said after a moment. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Any truth to that?"

Draco scowled. "If there ever had been, there certainly wouldn't be now."

"Did you sleep with her?"

The blond man's expression faded. "Yeah, I did. But that was before I knew she wasn't Astoria."

Harry nodded curtly. It was obvious that Draco felt a bit guilty about it, and Harry understood. He felt the same. After a long pause had stretched between them, the former Gryffindor looked into the eyes of his schoolyard rival. "Tell me the truth, Malfoy," he began, unnervingly calm. "When did you realize that you were in love with her?"

A ghost of a smile flickered across Draco's lips and Harry sighed in defeat. The other man had too much pride, too much arrogance to ever answer such a question, but it was something that Harry needed to know. He continued to stare Draco down, never allowing his own eyes to wander.

Draco nodded, silently answering the question before he spoke his confirmation. "The first time I saw her after she signed with the Harpies," the blond answered softly. "I was so impressed with her performance that I stopped by to see her after the game. She was the first person to look at me like I wasn't an evil Death Eater." He looked up at Harry. "I remember everything about that game, you know. From the way she looked while she was flying to the way that she scored 150 points, to the way she stopped talking and ran to you as soon as she saw you." He stopped, clearly lost in thought and at a loss for words. He was quiet for a long time. "I can't believe I told you that."

"I guess because there's no sense in denying it anymore, Malfoy. We can't go back to the way things were. We can't just pretend that we didn't prefer different women to our wives."

Draco nodded. "Does that mean you love Astoria?"

He shook his head. "I love Ginny, with all of my heart and with everything that I have. I love her more than I ever thought that I could. I love her enough to let her go." He looked at Draco. "Regardless of what happens with you, I know that she isn't happy with me. I have to let her go, even though I know that it's going to tear apart my family."

It was obvious that the blond man didn't know what to do or say. His face was cold and expressionless as ever. The only time he had shown even a hint of vulnerability was when he talked about Ginny and the way she made him feel. Slowly, Draco stood from where he had been sitting and walked to the door.

"Hey, Malfoy," Harry called. When Draco turned, Harry said, "I know it's none of my business, but you might want to think about letting her go. Astoria, I mean."

Draco stared back at Harry, face as expressionless as ever. After a long moment, he replied, "You're right. It is none of your business." He smirked and nodded before he left.

In a strange way, Harry felt like they had bonded.


	10. If It Makes You Happy

When Draco returned home to Malfoy Manor, he wasn't entirely certain of what he would find. It was possible that Astoria had returned, or perhaps Ginny had, or there was a chance that neither of them were there. It didn't matter much to him, though. He was still unsure about what he had planned to do about his predicament. Though he had been denying it to himself and to Ginny, he had all but said the words to Potter. He was in love with her. His attempts at remaining emotionless had turned out to be fruitless. Whether or not telling Ginny how he felt was even an option at this point, he was unsure of what to do next. What he did know was that he needed time to think, to consider his options and to decide what was best for his family.

His family. His family, he knew, was already torn to shreds. It was out in the open now that he and Astoria were at odds more often than not, and he was vaguely certain that Scorpius had figured out for himself that his parents were in trouble, but what Draco did know was that his wife and son were strong people. They'd be fine and they'd move on. Astoria had already attempted to do so, and Scorpius, he was sure, would be able to deal with his parents being separated. Already the boy had dealt with the silent, yet obvious, disputes between them that had been going on for years. Perhaps his son would even be happier if he weren't exposed to his parents' tense relationship.

The blond entered his study and saw his wife, the real one, sitting in his chair. "Wherever have you been, darling?" she cooed sarcastically. "I have been sitting here for hours."

"I was out talking to your boyfriend," he shot back.

Astoria's eyes were imperceptible. She stood, approaching him calmly. "And what did he have to say? Anything interesting?" she asked, making no attempt to deny his allegations, though they were not technically true.

"He never does. Potter has always been dreadfully boring. Perhaps that's why the two of you get on so famously. Neither of you ever have a thing to say that is worth hearing."

To his surprise, the brunette smiled at his comment. "Oh, Draco, you never do change."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean," Astoria began, lifting a hand to gently stroke his cheek, "that you think that I have come here to fight with you. I have not. I am not even upset with you, really. You are not the one who did something wrong. You are not the one who lied and cheated and deceived." She turned away from him. "I suppose I have finally shown off my Slytherin roots."

Draco smirked despite himself. This was the Astoria that he had married, the conniving and cheeky girl who had sparked his curiosity and his interest. But she was young then, and over the years she had matured where Draco had not.

"I should have known that she wasn't you," he said. "You still talk like you've got someone to impress."

"And surely in your company I do not. But I did not come here to discuss Ginevra. I came here to talk about us and where we will go from here."

Thoughts of his recent conversation with Potter flowed through his mind. He contemplated for the first time what had actually been said as he left the other man's office. Letting Astoria go – was that even an option? Would he be willing to do that, to allow her to go off with another man? He didn't love her, not in the way that a man was supposed to love his wife, but he was still selfish. Would he be able to let her go if it meant he could find happiness with someone else, with Ginny?

He looked at Astoria again and allowed her to form into a memory. The way she looked, the way she spoke, the way she smelled. Everything. He took hold of her shoulders and dipped his head forward as he brushed his lips against hers. As he was kissing her, Draco realized that he did not truly hate Astoria for being who she was, even though that was what he had once thought. He hated that he was obligated to her through their marriage, a woman who he had never been able to fall in love with, but he never really hated _her_. Their kiss was devoid of passion and love in the way that a kiss between two people who had spent their life together should be, but he did feel something for her. He liked her and respected her and felt sorry for the way he had treated her, how he had spoken of her.

After pulling back, he ran his thumb along her bottom lip. "Consider yourself let go, Stor." He kissed her once more on the forehead. "I want you to be happy, even if that means shagging Potter for the rest of your life."

Without waiting for her response, Draco turned to leave his office, knowing now who he needed to see.

"Draco!" Astoria called out, halting him effectively. After her husband turned back to her, she said, "Please take care of her. She really is a beautiful woman."

He nodded at his wife before taking off, appreciating that he and Astoria had finally come to an understanding.

* * *

The swing set in their garden had been unused for years, but still Ginny could not bear to part with it. She loved it, loved the memories that it held. For years, she spent nearly every afternoon of every nice day pushing her children on the swings and listening to them as they giggled and cried out with glee. It had always been a fun family experience, and so when Harry had told her it was time to take it down, she had fought him over it. Every year, he had asked her if they could get rid of the swings that had rusted and deteriorated from the harsh English weather, and each year she had denied him. Those were her children, her memories, and her swings that she was unwilling to let go of.

But it had been years since she had gone outside to sit on the swing, to relive her memories and think about the days when her children had been young and would spend every moment attached to her hip. Her children had adored her and so had she in return. She had quit her Quidditch career to start a family and, though she did do correspondence through the Daily Prophet, became a stay at home mum while Harry continued to go on pursuing his dreams of being an Auror. Ginny had supported Harry through and through, but deep down she had always resented him a bit for casting her into that role. She was so much closer with her children, but _she_ was the one who was forced to give up her dreams. Harry had not given up a thing.

The harsh squeaking of the swing as she rocked back and forth told her that the swings really _did_ need to be taken down. No one used them and they were probably not even safe anymore. The chains had been overcome with rust and the wooden seats could probably give splinters. Ginny stood up and gave a long, yearning look at the site of her most beloved memories and a tear slid slowly down her cheek.

The last week passed through her mind – what she had done with Draco, how she had hurt Harry, how she had not once thought about her children – and she wished more than anything that it had never happened. Before she had spent that time with Draco, she could have at least pretended to be happy with her marriage, but now she knew for sure that she wasn't. It was a fact, tangible and real, not just a nagging feeling that she was able to cast aside. Her entire family, not just the kids, would be terribly disappointed in her, in what she was going to have to do.

Ginny felt the air shift and heard a pair of footsteps. Instinctively, she knew that Harry was behind her. Somehow, she had always been able to sense his presence.

"Hello, Harry," she whispered, just loud enough so that he could hear.

"Hi, Gin," he responded. He stepped closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Are you alright?"

Same old Harry. No matter what Ginny had done to him, no matter how terribly she had treated him, he always put her feelings first. It sometimes bothered her how selfless he could be; it made her always seem like a worse person because she was more selfish, but right then she didn't mind it. She wanted to be comforted and told that she wasn't awful for falling out of love. She leaned into his embrace, smiling at the feeling of his arm pulling her closer. They had always fit together perfectly, like pieces of a puzzle.

"I spoke with Malfoy today," Harry continued, realizing that he was not going to get much response from his wife. "He showed up at my office while you and Astoria were out. We talked. I think it was actually the most civil conversation I've ever had with the man."

Ginny chuckled at that. Some things would never change, but it did unnerve her how calmly Harry was speaking. Part of her thought that his next sentence would entail a confession of murder.

"I know that you slept with him while you were Polyjuiced, Gin."

She tensed and pulled away. "Oh, Harry, I tried to tell him that I wasn't Astoria, but he just wouldn't listen. It all happened so fast, and I couldn't -"

He pressed his finger to her lips to silence her. "It's alright. I'm not _that_ angry."

"How?" she asked, completely dumbfounded. "How can you not be angry with me? I – I _cheated _ion you, Harry! I'm an awful, awful person. I lied to you! And I never once thought of you or James or Albus or Lily -"

"Would you just stop yammering and let me talk, Gin?"

Ginny smiled. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not mad, Ginny, because I know that this was something you'd never have done if there wasn't something wrong with us. You could have stopped Draco at any point if you had wanted to, but you didn't, and there is a reason for it. I'm partly to blame for all of this. Part of me has been unhappy, too, because I was able sense it in you." Harry paused. "Besides, I should have known that Astoria wasn't you as soon as she told George that he was dashing."

The redhead began laughing out loud. "I wasn't a very good Astoria, either. I sat in the grass and I talked to Scorpius about Quidditch. Scorpius _did_ know immediately, by the way. He called me out on it the first time we spoke. He even tried to tell his father, but Draco just wouldn't listen."

A comfortable silence spread between the pair of them, each of them thinking to themselves about all of the things they could have done differently, in the last week and in the last few years. The same conclusion was reached for both Ginny and Harry. If they had worked a little more, if they had tried a little harder to understand each other, then just maybe their marriage could have worked. But they didn't. Neither of them ever gave in or tried to change to better suit their spouse. In the end, it was their lack of compromise that made them incompatible.

"Ginny, I want you to know that I'll always love you, despite what it is that I am going to do."

She looked puzzled. "What are you going to do?"

"Give me your left hand."

After a brief moment of hesitation, Ginny placed her hand in Harry's.

Harry held it for a long time before he gently brushed his lips over the back of her hand and then slowly removed her wedding ring. "I'm letting you go."

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks so much to the lovely Kim for the beta. I do apologize for taking so much time with this. I knew what needed to be done, but it took me a bit to figure out how to say it.

Only one more chapter and an epilogue are left, so leave me something sweet! :)


	11. The Damage Done

Draco wasn't entirely sure where to go to find her; he only knew that he needed to talk to her. But after exhausting every option that immediately came to mind, he was about ready to give up. That was, until he decided to let go of his pride and ask Potter.

"So, you not only want to have a romantic relationship with my wife, but you also need my help to pursue her?" He looked more amused than anything. "Really, Malfoy, are you even listening to yourself right now?"

The blond rolled his eyes. "I don't know how to find her, Potter," he said, exasperated. "How am I supposed to talk to her if I can't bloody well get in touch with her?"

Harry crossed his arms over his chest. "Listen, I saw her a few hours ago. We talked and then she left the house, but she didn't say where she was going. My best guess would be to try the Burrow. If I know my wife, she'd go home to her mother before she'd go anywhere else."

Draco nodded curtly. "Thanks."

As the other man turned to leave, Harry cleared his throat loudly. "Mate, do you even know where the Burrow is?"

Moments later, after an awkward Side-Along Apparation with Harry, Draco began walking through the fields towards the small house. He'd heard the Weasleys talk about the Burrow before, but what he saw was not at all what he had expected. Considering the size of the house he was raised in and had lived in for his entire life, and considering the fact that the entire house could fit inside some individual rooms at the Manor, he was almost afraid to approach the place. It seemed to be barely large enough for a small family to live in, let alone a family like the Weasleys.

He knocked on the door and, after only a moment, it was opened by a plump redheaded woman. She was immediately recognizable as the Weasley matriarch, and Draco couldn't help but feel a little discouraged at the way her face fell at the sight of him. After clearing his throat loudly, he asked, "Mrs. Weasley, is Ginny here?"

The woman crossed her arms over her chest. It only took a moment for Draco to be able to comprehend why she was always considered to be intimidating. The ice in her eyes as she stared at him was all he needed to know. Either Ginny was there or had been recently, and Molly obviously knew what was going on.

Draco softened his expression as much as he could. "Mrs. Weasley, please."

She stepped to the side to allow him inside the house, but her glare never became less cold or unforgiving. Molly Weasley was not planning to let Draco off the hook that easily.

"Have a seat, and I'll grab you some tea," she said.

The blond did as he was told, but took the opportunity to gaze around the room. The kitchen was homely and humble, but somehow comforting. Pictures of the Weasleys adorned the walls – from Molly and Arthur, all the way down to Ginny's kids. There were dozens of them, and he smiled involuntarily. Malfoy Manor was such a formal environment and a complete contrast to this place, and a part of him wished that he had grown up with a larger family. Something told him that not being extremely well off was never a deterrence for them, and that was a concept that Draco just couldn't comprehend.

A mug of tea was placed in front of him. It was plain and white china that was chipped around the rim, and he had to fight back the urge to make a face at its worn appearance. After Molly had taken her seat across from him, Draco folded his hands on the table. "Mrs. Weasley, I need to talk to Ginny. It's really important."

Molly mimicked the blond's gesture and stared at him intently. There was a long stretch of silence in which the two adults sat staring at one another before she decided to break the quiet. "Why should I help you?" she asked simply.

"Because I've done something awful. I said some things to her that I'm not proud of."

"Oh, yes. I know all about what you've said." She paused. "So I'll ask again. Why should I help you?"

Draco took a deep breath. "Mrs. Weasley, you and I barely know each other. You know what your children have told you, and that's fair and understandable, but that doesn't mean that you know me. Ginny – you don't know how I feel about her, and whether or not you help me, I'm going to find her eventually. With you, though, it will be much quicker and much less agonizing for all of us."

"I know a great deal more about you than you think, Mr. Malfoy," Molly said, her voice eerily still. "When you were just a boy, you did a lot more damage to me and to this family than you know. And what's worse is that you'll never be able to understand the pain you've caused. My oldest son is permanently disfigured because of you, and my youngest son nearly died. Now you want me to help you get to my only daughter? What gives you the right, Draco Malfoy, to come into my home and demand answers from me?"

He swallowed hard. He honestly had never considered any of this, but he also knew that everything she was saying was in the past. The Draco Malfoy that she was referring to had grown up. But, finally, Draco realized that there were some things a parent would never get over and could never forgive. He understood that.

"I'm sorry I've taken so much of your time," he said slowly as he stood from the table and walked to the door. "You'll not hear from me again."

"When Ginny needs someone to talk to, she always goes to her brother, George."

The words halted him and he spun around to face Molly. No words were spoken, but a slight nod of her head told Draco everything that he needed to know. Everything that she had said to him, the way she had looked at him, and all of her actions had been a test, and he had passed.

"Thank you," he whispered before Apparating away.

* * *

George's flat above Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was a disaster on its best days. It was obvious that he didn't do well with cleaning charms and that he didn't really care much to learn. It was a wonder to Ginny how Angelina could stand living in such a pig sty.

He handed her a mug of tea, and she accepted it graciously. She had not said a word since she'd come by, knocking on his door frantically as though she would have been attacked if she did not enter his flat immediately. As always, it was never anything so serious. George had been the only one that she had confided in about her feelings for Draco, and so it only made sense that she'd come to him. But she had yet to speak. Instead, she sat on his sofa, a quilt wrapped around her as she stared into the low fire.

He took a seat beside her. "Want to talk about it?" he asked gently.

"There isn't much to talk about," she replied, her voice uncharacteristically monotone. "Draco and Harry found out what Astoria and I did. Draco hates me, and Harry forgave me. The end."

"Ginny, you know I hate that slimy git, but did you ever think that maybe his reaction was understandable? The two of you did something really hurtful to your husbands, and maybe he's got a right to take his time thinking it over."

She bowed her head. "He was right about a lot more than that. Do you know that I never once thought about what this would do to my children?"

George rubbed small, soothing circles over her back. "You've spent a good portion of your life as a wife and a mother. I know you feel badly, and I know this is going to sound wrong, but sometimes it's alright to think about you for a change."

"No. What I did was not alright."

"Maybe not. Maybe you went about things in the wrong way, but don't you think that in the end things would have gone sour anyway? The way you tell it, things haven't been perfect with you and Harry for a while."

"Well, that's true." She pulled her knees up to her chest. "Merlin, this whole thing is a bloody awful mess, isn't it?"

He opened his mouth to answer but was interrupted with a single knock on the door. George put up an index finger to his sister, indicating that he'd be back in a minute. After only a few seconds, he returned to the room and looked at Ginny grimly. "It's – it's Draco, Gin."

Her eyes doubled in size. "Don't tell him I'm here."

* * *

There was a rustle inside the flat, and Draco knew that someone was inside. He gave the door another single, loud knock, and this time the door opened.

A tall, redheaded man answered the door, arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face. He cocked an eyebrow. "Yeah?" he asked, staring at the blond.

Draco remembered this brother from Hogwarts. The funny one, one of the twins. He'd got a lot more intimidating over the years. "I was looking for Ginny," the blond said, trying not to appear phased by the older man. "Your mother said I would find her here."

At the mention of his mother, George's face softened considerably. "What do you want with my sister?"

"To be completely honest with you, I don't even know what I want to say to her. I just know that something needs to be said, and I'm the one who needs to say it." He paused. "I know you've got every reason in the world to tell me to stay away and to slam this door in my face, but there's one reason for the other side that you've got to consider, and that is the fact that I'm bloody trying."

The redhead stared for a long time, a pensive look on his face. Draco couldn't decide if this was good or bad. George seemed to be calculating him and sizing him up, and he squirmed under the older man's harsh scrutiny. But a part of him had nothing but respect for George. It was obvious that he loved his sister enough to want to protect her from being hurt, and Draco knew that if he passed this test – the test from a shielding and caring older brother – then he'd have a real fighting chance of getting to Ginny.

"Listen to me, ferret," George said, breaking the momentary silence. "If you ever make my sister cry again, I swear it'll be the last thing you do."

Draco swallowed hard, but all fears he had were alleviated as George grabbed his coat and Apparated away. He'd gotten through Molly and George. Now, he had to face Ginny.

Slowly, he inched his way into George's flat, shutting the door behind him with a gentle click. Ginny was not in the first room, but Draco knew that if he called out her name that she'd probably just Apparate away rather than talk to him. Instead, he trekked through the flat until he finally reached a room with a closed door. He turned the knob and looked through the crack. She was there, sitting on an unmade bed with her knees pulled against her chest, looking out the window.

"Are you cold?" he asked, feeling stupid for asking, but wanting a non-threatening way to initiate a conversation. "It's bloody freezing in here, isn't it?"

She turned to look at him, an eyebrow raised. "I'll kill him," she said, irritation present in her voice. She looked away. "I told him to tell you I wasn't here."

The blond sat on the bed beside her, eyeing her cautiously. "If it helps, he threatened my life."

"It doesn't."

"Oh."

There was silence for a short while. Draco had wanted for Ginny to break the ice and say something to him – anything to indicate that, in some way, she wanted him around – but she said nothing. All she did was stare out the window, her breath the only thing audible coming from her.

"Astoria and I are finished."

And just like that, she suddenly appeared more awake. Her eyes shot to him. "Why?"

"Because she wasn't happy, and I thought that's what you wanted."

"What I _wanted_ was to talk to you, yesterday at the Manor. I came into your library, tried to be civil with you and tell you that I was sorry for what I did, but you wouldn't hear it. You called me some really foul names and kicked me out, and now, after you've gotten the opportunity to weigh the pros and cons of having a real, decent conversation, you've decided to harass me? Let me express to you how much I don't care."

"I was rude, I know that, but put yourself in my place, Ginny. How do you think it felt for me to find out that the woman I had been sharing a bed with was not who I thought." He got up from his place on the bed and stood directly beside her. "This wasn't some simple matter of white lies or people pretending to be certain things that they're not. What you did was close to being unforgivable."

"So then why are you here?"

"I said 'close to,' didn't I?"

To that, Ginny smiled. "What is it that you want, Draco?" she asked gently. "And I don't want insinuations or sarcasm or anything cryptic. I want you to talk and say what you mean."

"You're ruining all of my fun, Gin."

She shook her head with silent laughter. "It's irritating how charming you are when you choose to be."

Draco gave her a half-smile before sitting back down. "I know it would take time. I don't really have any reason to trust you, and I am still quite put off about the Polyjuice – although your cunning is impressive in a way – but I want to give it a try. A relationship, I mean."

A ghost of a smile crossed her lips. "If you had said that to me twenty-four hours ago, I'd have been yours. I'd have fallen into your arms, and I would have said to hell with everything else." She paused, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. "But now, things have changed. You've given me time to think."

He lifted an eyebrow. "Time is a dangerous thing, isn't it?"

"I can't be with you right now, Draco." She locked eyes with him. "Hurting you was an accident. It was a terrible thing to do, and with all of my heart, I apologize for every ounce of pain that I've caused you. But, after talking to Harry, I figured out that I can't be in a relationship with someone right now, not until I explain things to my children and decide what is best for all of us." She paused, lightly brushing her fingertips against the back of his hand. "You were right about one thing. I've been so selfish, and I need to fix that. If I don't, I won't be good for anyone."

There was a long stretch of silence in which they just looked into each other's eyes. He could see through the brown irises that she was waiting for him to respond, to give some indication that he understood what she was feeling and that it was okay. The problem was, it wasn't okay.

"You mean, after all of that, that you're just going to walk away?" he asked, his voice even and eerily calm.

Ginny bit her lip. "Not forever. I just don't think that getting into a new relationship is what I should be doing right now."

"I do understand, you know," Draco said quietly, "that you want to protect your children. I have a son, too. But after you've destroyed our lives and marriages, I thought you'd want to salvage the only thing left. I'm all you have left, Ginevra."

At the sound of her full name, Ginny flinched, but she quickly regained her composure. "My marriage may be over, but I haven't destroyed everything. But if you and I started something right now, that's exactly what I would be doing. I hope you can understand that."

He hung his head, chin resting against his chest, and stayed there for a long time, not knowing what to say or how to feel. Part of him wanted to allow himself to realize how hard he had fallen for her and act on it, to throw away his pride and beg her to reconsider. But the majority of Draco couldn't allow his emotions to show. Couldn't, and wouldn't. He'd never beg, even if it meant losing her.

"If that's what you've decided," he began, his voice expressionless, "then I suppose I'll have to honor that." He started towards the door, but turned around briefly before he left. She wasn't even looking at him and seemed to be completely unaffected by his departure, but he knew better than that.

Softly, he whispered, "Goodbye, Ginny," without knowing if she was listening or not. It didn't much matter. After putting himself on the line and being rejected, he wasn't much interested in seeing her anymore. The damage was done.

* * *

**A/N:** Don't hate me for the ending of this chapter, lovelies! The epilogue is still to come, and it has already been written and beta-ed! I will post it sometime next week. :)))


	12. Epilogue

_One Year Later, Christmas 2020_

The grand ballroom at Malfoy Manor had been decorated in glorious shades of red and gold for the occasion. The House Elves had really outdone themselves. Six tables along the perimeter were lined with the most delectable foods, desserts, and beverages that he could have hoped for. And as the music began to play, he descended the stairs, his new wife on his arm.

A voice rang out loud and clear. "Now presenting, for the first time as man and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Weasley!"

Applause rang through the ballroom as Charlie and Amelia came into view. To Ginny, who was watching from the end of the staircase, her brother looked more handsome than she had ever seen him, and his wife was absolutely stunning in her white dress. They were a dream – a beautiful couple. It only took a moment for them to reach her, and she felt her brother immediately wrap his arms around her, spinning her in a circle like he had when she was a child. She felt a tender kiss on her cheek.

"I can't believe you're married, Charlie!" she said, still engulfed in a hug. "It's unreal."

"Isn't it?" he asked with a laugh, setting her down.

"You'd better go mingle with your guests, sir," Ginny teased playfully. "There will always be time for your sister later."

He squeezed her hand. "You aren't just my sister, Gin. You're the Maid of Honor. You require all sorts of special attention."

She grinned at her brother and then looked to her new sister-in-law. "Amelia, you look absolutely perfect!"

And she did. Her long, blonde hair was twisted into an elegant knot at the back of her head, and her pretty face was barely made up with subtle earth tones. The white dress was a plain and simple gown, but it suited her slender figure. Amelia was stunning and the epitome of the perfect bride, and the smile that lit up her face only made her glow more.

"You look beautiful, Gin."

The voice surprised her, and she turned from her brother to the man who stood behind her. She smiled at him. His normally unruly black hair was slicked back and he wore a perfectly pressed black tuxedo. On his arm was a slender brunette in a classic red dress.

Ginny pulled the man into a hug. "Oh, Mr. Potter, I barely even recognized you!"

He held her tightly for a long moment. "You look great, Ginny."

"I feel great," the redhead admitted. She turned to the brunette woman. "Astoria, it's so nice to see you."

Though they were not nearly as close as they had once been, Ginny and Astoria remained friendly. Seeing a close friend on the arm of her ex-husband was still strange, but she had come to terms with all of it. Harry better suited Ginny in the role of a friend rather than a husband. It had taken some time, but they had developed an even better relationship after their divorce than they'd had while they were married.

Just then, Ginny felt another hand at her waist. A tall, slender blond had attached himself to her.

She laughed out loud. "Scorpius, what are you doing?"

"May I have this dance, Miss Weasley?" the boy requested, kissing her hand and showing off the inherited Malfoy charm.

With another laugh and a shake of her head, Ginny allowed herself to be swept into a dance with the young boy.

Scorpius was another person that she'd had a strained relationship with for quite some time. Though he knew that his parents' divorce was a long time coming, part of him still blamed Ginny. It wasn't until months went by and Ginny and Draco still hadn't spoken that the blond boy finally realized that the situation was far more complicated than he had realized. Being a teenage boy, it was still awkward for him to see his mother married to another man and to see his father alone, but he stopped pinning everything on Ginny and the two of them had developed a very unique rapport.

While they were out on the dance floor, dancing a slow waltz, Scorpius wasted no time in talking to Ginny about the real reason he had asked her to dance. "Have you seen Father yet?"

The redhead smiled sadly. "I haven't seen your father in over a year, Scorpius. You know that."

"I know, but he's here tonight." Scorpius stared at Ginny for a long time. "He wants to see you."

"If he had wanted to see me, he could have responded to that owl that I sent him six months ago, or the one that I sent three months ago, or perhaps even the one that I sent last week." She bit her lip. "Scorpius, if your father had any interest in seeing me, he would have seen me by now. It's over, love. There's nothing there, and it's alright. I'm finally happy."

"But what if he isn't?"

"I'm afraid that's not really my problem anymore. I tried and he rejected me. I can't keep trying forever. I won't."

"Maybe just once more?" Scorpius asked, stopping their dance and looking up at the redhead sadly. "He wasn't even going to come to the reception tonight until I begged him to."

She threw her hands up in frustration. "Scorpius! He doesn't want to see me! I'm not going to put myself on the line, just to get shot down and humiliated. It's pointless, and I'm not going to do it." She went to leave, but was halted by the boys words.

"Ginny," he said quietly, "I know my father well enough to know that he wouldn't have come here because I asked him to unless he already wanted to in the first place. He just wanted an excuse. For me, please. Just talk to him."

And she was left alone in the crowd of wedding guests dancing gaily around her and completely oblivious to the pair of grey eyes that hadn't left her the entire night.

* * *

It was time to cut the cake. Ginny stood beside her three kids and watched as Charlie and Amelia each held onto the knife and slid it into the cake. Polite applause filled the room, but not from Ginny's three sullen teenagers who stood glaring at a man on the opposite side of the room.

"James, Albus, Lily!" Ginny scolded. "I will send you home with Fleur if you do not start behaving yourselves."

The oldest of the three crossed his arms over his chest. "I just don't understand why _he_ is here."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "_He_ is here because _he_ is your father." She pulled her oldest son into a hug. "James, you have got to forgive him. You know he adores you three more than anything. The divorce was not his fault." She kissed his temple. "Please set a good example for your brother and sister and go say hello to your father and stepmother."

The boy frowned, but nodded. "Only because you asked, Mum."

She watched as James tugged on the arms of Albus and Lily and pulled them towards their father. It felt good to see them interacting with Harry again.

They had waited until Christmas holidays to tell the children that they were getting a divorce. All three of the children were stunned and outraged and demanded answers, but Harry wouldn't dare tell them what Ginny and Astoria had done with the Polyjuice. In private, he had told Ginny that he'd never want the kids to be angry with her, and so he was willing to allow their children to develop their own opinions on the divorce. However, as soon as Astoria had come into the picture, the three had immediately decided that the divorce was entirely their father's doing. Being a gentleman and holding to what he had said to Ginny from the beginning, he did not tell them what their mother had done. Ginny recognized that her children were a mess, and she felt incredibly responsible for it, but at the same time she felt grateful to Harry. If it weren't for him, her children would hate her. But he said he wouldn't allow such things because, more than anything, during such rough times, children needed their mother the most. However, it didn't stop her from feeling impossibly guilty about the strained relationship between Harry and their children.

The kids didn't get along well with Scorpius, though. Although he never told them about their mothers' Polyjuice adventure, he still did not think it was fair to pin all the blame on his mother and Harry. Albus and Scorpius, who had been good friends up until that point, had a very strained friendship after Astoria and Harry had got married.

She glanced across the room at where Harry and Astoria stood with James, Albus, and Lily and felt impossibly good for the first time in a long time. The kids were smiling, Lily gave Harry a hug, and her ex-husband's eyes were lit up so brightly that it made tears well up in her eyes. Even though the last year had been difficult for everyone, she knew that things were finally starting to work themselves out. In her heart, she knew that her kids would forgive Harry eventually, and that allowed her to feel a little bit less guilty.

Just then, Harry looked up. Her dark brown, glistening orbs locked with his emerald green ones, and they exchanged a silent moment. They would be okay.

Suddenly, she felt cold. She wrapped her arms around herself, wondering where the chill was coming from. And then she saw it. To her left, there was an opened door that led onto a balcony. But beyond the door, she saw what – or rather, who—she had been subconsciously searching for the entire night.

* * *

He'd been watching her throughout the evening. From the moment she'd entered the grand ballroom, to the moment she'd been swept into the arms of her newlywed brother, to the moment that she'd shared a dance with his son. She looked happy.

It had been nearly impossible for him to not return her owls. She had sent six of them in total, and he'd read each one, but was too bitter and angry to reply to them. She had hurt him; she had dragged him down to her level and then pushed him away. No woman had ever had such an effect on him, and he had decided there and then that she would never have such influence on him again.

She had been too much to watch after a while, and so he had left the ballroom. He stood on a balcony, staring out into the sky and the nothingness, wanting to just be alone. But his moment of quiet contemplation was short lived.

"Aren't you cold? It's the middle of December."

He couldn't help but smirk to himself. She had used the exact same line he had the last time they'd spoken – a conversation that had haunted him for the last year. But he didn't turn around to face her. "Warming Charms do the trick every time."

And then she was standing beside him. Her elbows were propped up on the ledge, her head resting against her hands. "Hello, Draco," she said softly.

"You look good, Gin."

Ginny smiled. "I talked to Scorpius," she said after a moment. "He asked me to dance with him."

"I saw that." He turned towards her, making eye contact with her for the first time in over a year.

She nibbled on her bottom lip. "He said you weren't going to come tonight."

"I wasn't."

"Well that's rather silly, isn't it? This is your house."

Draco shrugged a shoulder. "The Manor is large enough that I could have been elsewhere if I had chosen to be. But my son told me that I should come, and I didn't want to disappoint him."

Ginny lifted an eyebrow. "Draco, if you didn't want to come, I know you well enough to know that you wouldn't have."

"You don't know me at all, do you? I haven't seen you in over a year, Ginny."

"Well, that's not my fault, is it? I tried to get in touch with you, but you never responded to a single owl that I sent you!"

He turned his attention away from her, not wanting to look at her face, broken and beautiful. He knew that it would have been so easy to just forgive her, but he couldn't do that. She had done too much damage to be forgiven so easily.

"I can't believe how much things have changed since last Christmas," she said after another long moment. "You know, I had to move back into the Burrow for a few months until I could find myself a decent flat. It's a lot harder to afford things when you've got to pay rent and only have one income, but I do it. I have a good relationship with my kids. I thought for sure that they'd hate me for what happened with their father, but they don't. Even Harry and I are friends again."

"What's your point, Gin?" he asked without hesitation, a hint of exasperation in his voice.

"The point is that I needed this past year, to sort out my relationships and to get everything straightened out so that I could be happy again."

"And?" he asked, looking at her again. "You wouldn't have been pressed for money if you had been with me, so forgive me for not pitying you and your financial difficulties."

"That's not it at all!" she exclaimed as she turned her back to the wall, disgusted. "If I would have gone to you, my kids would hate me right now. I needed time to think about them and to make sure they know that the divorce wasn't their fault."

"No, it wasn't. It was yours."

She bit her lip to keep tears from falling. "You're so unforgiving that it breaks my heart, Draco."

"There's no reason for me to forgive you."

Ginny nodded, hanging her head low. "I wanted you to know that I'm ready to think about me now." She paused. "All of my relationships have been sorted out, except the one with you. You're the one person who won't speak to me, and I want you to forgive me more than anything in the world. I know you don't trust me, and you've got no reason to, but you were willing to try before despite that. Why can't you just look at me?"

Draco remained silent for a long moment, knowing full well that if he looked at her again, he wouldn't be able to turn away. Not after she had poured her heart out to him. He wouldn't be able to resist temptation, and he wouldn't be able to say that nothing that happened in the last year mattered, that it didn't matter whether or not she had changed or if she was happy now. If he looked at her, his resolve would be broken, because all of it mattered. Everything she'd said, everything he had been through – her.

Softly, he said, "If I don't look at you, I can pretend that I don't need you. If I look at you…"

"Please," she interrupted, her voice breathless and pleading.

And he did. Her eyes were glossy with threatening tears and her hair was slightly disheveled from the blowing, cold wind, but she was perfect. Her gold dress, her curly red ringlets, and her eyes as soft as silk. Everything about Ginny was beautiful. But he held himself firmly in place, not allowing himself to reach out and grab her. He had to resist the urge.

Her face broke when he made no movement towards her. "It was good to see you again," she whispered, the barest hint of emotion welling up within her voice.

She turned, ready to leave, but his hand clutching her wrist stopped her in her tracks. He pulled her against him, one arm at her waist and the other cupping her cheek. Being close to her was overwhelming. It was everything he had wanted and everything he had dreaded for over a year, and he didn't know what to do. If he kissed her, if he let her into his heart, he'd be allowing himself to be weak. He would be giving in.

He continued to look at her, holding her in his arms, and let himself fall apart as he brushed his lips against hers. She felt like a feather in his arms, and the warmth of her body against his lit a fire within him. He deepened the kiss as she brought her arms up to his neck and pulled him closer. The feeling of her body against his sent a chill through his spine. He could never remember a kiss that was so passionate and so filled with need. _This_ was what his relationship with Astoria had lacked, and it was what he craved. Through that kiss, he knew that he had found what he was looking for, what he had wanted all along.

Slowly and reluctantly, they ended the kiss, but his lips continued to tingle. The feeling of her lips on his was imprinted there. He'd always remember the way she felt, the way she tasted.

Still wrapped up in his arms, eyes locked on one another, Ginny whispered, "Can we start over?"

There were no words in response. Instead, he brought her in for another searing kiss. There was nothing anywhere else, and Draco knew that. He would never let her get away again.


End file.
